sliver

[ sliv-er ]
See synonyms for: sliversliveredslivering on Thesaurus.com

noun
  1. a small, slender, often sharp piece, as of wood or glass, split, broken, or cut off, usually lengthwise or with the grain; splinter.

  2. any small, narrow piece or portion: A sliver of sky was visible.

  1. a strand of loose, untwisted fibers produced in carding.

verb (used with object)
  1. to split or cut off (a sliver) or to split or cut into slivers: to sliver a log into kindling.

  2. to form (textile fibers) into slivers.

verb (used without object)
  1. to split.

Origin of sliver

1
1325–75; Middle English slivere (noun), derivative of sliven to split, Old English -slīfan (in tōslīfan to split up

Other words from sliver

  • sliv·er·like, adjective

Words Nearby sliver

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sliver in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sliver

sliver

/ (ˈslɪvə) /


noun
  1. a thin piece that is cut or broken off lengthwise; splinter

  2. a loose strand or fibre obtained by carding

verb
  1. to divide or be divided into splinters; split

  2. (tr) to form (wool, etc) into slivers

Origin of sliver

1
C14: from sliven to split

Derived forms of sliver

  • sliver-like, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012