Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🏠 Fireplace safety device ⚡ Stops electric sparks
spark arrester

spark arrester

7.2
A metal mesh fitted on a chimney that stops sparks escaping and reduces fire risk
  • noun
  • /spɑrk əˈrɛstər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : filtro de chispas
  • You should make sure the spark arrester on your chimney is cleaned regularly for safety.

Examples

  • The old train was fitted with a spark arrester to prevent accidental fires along the tracks.

  • A proper spark arrester can significantly reduce the risk of wildfires caused by machinery.

  • The spark arrester works well.

  • My spark arrester is broken!

  • Installing a spark arrester on your fireplace can help prevent sparks from escaping and causing a fire.

  • The contractor recommended a quality spark arrester to enhance safety in our new house.

  • To comply with fire regulations, the factory must equip its smokestacks with a spark arrester.

Synonyms

fireguard
vsspark arrester
  • UK
1 3.6

A metal screen placed in front of a fireplace to stop sparks or embers from reaching the room

is fitted to flues to stop sparks escaping and reduce fire risk
sparker
vsspark arrester
  • Archaic
9.6

A wire mesh that stops small burning pieces from leaving a fireplace or chimney

is the same device described in more technical terms
arrestor
vsspark arrester
  • Specialized
7.4

A screen that stops sparks from chimneys or exhausts to prevent fires

is specific to openings like fireplaces or smokestacks rather than engines

Surface Forms

spark arrester singular
spark arresters plural

Morphology

spark + arrester

The meaning is directly compositional: 'spark' (a small flash/discharge) combined with 'arrester' (a device that stops or limits) yields a device that stops or reduces sparks. This follows a common noun+noun naming pattern for devices and would be readily inferable by a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.

Etymology

Spark arrester: The noun spark arrester comes from a simple image — a metal mesh or guard that catches flying sparks and 'arrests' them, meaning 'to stop', before they leave a chimney or smokestack. So a spark arrester today is a device that keeps sparks from escaping and helps prevent fires.