What does wick mean?
A wick is the thin, absorbent cord or strip that sits in a candle, oil lamp, or similar device. It draws up melted wax, oil, or another fuel and provides a path for the flame. Wicks can be trimmed, replaced, soaked, or allowed to burn down, making them familiar features of household objects. The word can also be used as a verb, meaning to light or burn something by means of its wick, although this use is much less common. In informal British English, “get on someone’s wick” means to irritate or annoy that person. The word is useful both as a precise name for a small component and as part of a vivid expression about everyday irritation. Its basic sense is strongly associated with candles and lamps, while its idiomatic use adds a distinctly human, conversational flavor.
A thin cord or strip of material that draws fuel and carries a flame in a candle, lamp, or similar device.
"She lit the lamp and adjusted the wick so that the flame burned steadily."
The word can refer either to the complete functional component or to the fibrous material from which such components are made.
To light or cause something to burn by its wick, or to burn with a smoking wick.
"The wick would not take, so he replaced it."
This is a relatively uncommon technical or practical use and is less frequent than the noun.
The standard plural of the noun is “wicks,” used for individual candle or lamp wicks.
"The shop sells cotton wicks in several widths."
A wick is the narrow bridge between fuel and flame—and, in British slang, a phrase for something that gets on your nerves.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does wick come from?
The English word descends from Old English wēoc, meaning a wick or candle. It is generally traced to Proto-Germanic *wēkaz and is related to forms in Dutch, Old Norse, and Old Saxon. The modern verb developed from the older noun’s sense of the material used to carry a flame.
Related word forms
How wick is actually used
The literal noun is standard in British and American English. The verb is relatively uncommon and often sounds practical or technical. The expression “get on someone’s wick” is informal and especially associated with British English.