friction match

5.8

A small wooden stick with a tip that lights when you strike it on something rough

noun
/ˈfrɪkʃən mætʃ/

: fósforo

The box of friction matches was wet and unusable.

Examples

He struck a friction match against the box to light the candle.
The old factory once produced thousands of friction matches a day.
Modern lighters have largely replaced the friction match for most people.
I lit a friction match to start the campfire.
He struck the friction match against the rough surface of the box to light the campfire.
With a single swipe, she ignited the friction match and brightened the dim room.
To start the grill, he reached for a friction match and struck it carefully against the side of the matchbook.

Synonyms

match

vsfriction match

176 1.0

A small stick with a tip that catches fire when struck

is defined by ignition when struck on a rough surface rather than any method

matchstick

vsfriction match

9 1.0

A short thin stick of wood you use to light a fire

is the finished igniting item with chemical tip attached not the bare stick

kitchen match

vsfriction match

Archaic

1 2.7

A wooden match you can strike on any rough surface to light stoves

is the general form used for any ignition when struck on rough surfaces

lucifer

vsfriction match

Archaic

9.9

A thin wooden match used to light candles or small fires

is the modern common form rather than an old-fashioned one

Surface Forms

friction match singular

friction matches plural

Morphology

friction + match

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'friction' (rubbing/heat produced by surfaces) + 'match' (a stick that lights), indicating a match that ignites by rubbing. This N+N compound follows regular English formation and would be understandable to a B1 learner who knows both constituent words.

Etymology

Friction match is named for how it works. Rubbing a match tip on a rough surface makes heat from friction, so the tip lights and it means 'a match that lights when struck'.