kindle
/ˈkɪn.dəl/verb, noun, adjective
kindle is spelled K-I-N-D-L-E: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 6.5 times per million words in written English, the 9,463rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, kindle means “To start (a fire) or light (a torch, a match, coals, etc.)” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in kindle?
| Letters | 6: K-I-N-D-L-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 6.5 times per million words; the 9,463rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is kindle?
Kindle appears 6.5 times per million words in written English, the 9,463rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce kindle?
- /ˈkɪn.dəl/
Kindle has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-kindle.ogg, En-au-kindle.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with kindle?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as kindle.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: linked, delink, dinkle.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of kindle
- kindles present, singular, he/she/it, plural
- kindling participle, present
- kindled participle, past
- in kindle
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does kindle mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To start (a fire) or light (a torch, a match, coals, etc.).
- 2
To arouse or inspire (a passion, etc).
He kindled an enthusiasm for the project in his fellow workers.
- 3
To begin to grow or take hold.
- 4
To bring forth young; to give birth.
adjective
- 1
pregnant
noun
- 1
rareA group, usually a litter, of kittens, or sometimes cats more generally.
A kindle of kittens.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Kindle in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | allumer , exalter, inspirer, susciter , portée , mettre bas |
| German | anzünden, entfachen |
| Portuguese | acender , inspirar, suscitar |
| Spanish | encender |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does kindle come from?
From Middle English kyndelen, from Old Norse kynda (“to inflame”), from Proto-Germanic *kundijaną.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).