What does scintilla mean?
A scintilla is a tiny spark, glimmer, or trace. Its dominant figurative use describes an exceedingly small amount of something abstract, such as doubt, hope, evidence, or truth. Phrases such as “not a scintilla of” are strongly emphatic and suggest that even the smallest possible trace is absent. The word has a formal, literary, and somewhat elevated register, so it is more characteristic of careful writing, scholarship, or rhetoric than of casual conversation. Although its literal meaning refers to a small spark or flash of light, most modern usage is figurative. The word is especially useful when precision matters and an ordinary term such as “trace” would not convey the same combination of subtlety and rhetorical force.
nounA tiny spark or glimmer, especially a very small amount or trace of something.
- A very small amount or trace of an abstract quality, emotion, truth, or other thing.
- A tiny spark, glimmer, or flash of light.
"There was not a scintilla of doubt in her explanation."
"The witness offered a scintilla of evidence that challenged the account."
"A faint scintilla of hope appeared in her expression."
The Latinized plural scintillae is traditional, while scintillas is also accepted in modern English.
"The archive contained only a few scintillae of surviving evidence."
From a Latin diminutive meaning “a little spark,” scintilla turns the tiniest possible trace into emphatic literary language.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scintilla come from?
The English word comes from Latin scintilla, meaning “spark” or “little spark,” a diminutive related to scintere, “to sparkle.” It entered English in the late 16th century in a learned, literary context. Its relatives include scintillate, scintillation, and scintillant, all developed from the same Latin root.
How scintilla is actually used
Formal and literary in tone. It is especially common in emphatic constructions such as “not a scintilla of,” where it stresses the complete absence of something.
Easily confused with scintilla
A scintilla is a tiny spark or trace, whereas a scintillation is a sparkling or twinkling phenomenon.