# tinder

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈtɪn.də/ · frequency rank #11,482

## Definitions
1. Small dry sticks and finely-divided fibrous matter etc., used to help light a fire.

## Etymology
From Middle English tinder, tunder, tender, tonder, from Old English tynder, from Proto-Germanic *tundrą, *tundrǭ (“tinder”). Compare Saterland Frisian Tunder (“tinder”), Dutch tonder (“tinder”), German Zunder (“tinder”), Swedish tända (“to light, to set on fire”). More at tind.

## Easily confused with
- **tine** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-tine)
- **toner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-toner)
- **tuner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-tuner)
- **tinge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-tinge)
- **trader** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-trader)
- **tinker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-tinker)
- **tinted** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-tinted)
- **tinged** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-tinged)
- **tinned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-tinned)
- **tinsel** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-tinsel)
- **tipper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tinder-vs-tipper)
- **tier** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tier-vs-tinder)
- **tide** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tide-vs-tinder)
- **tiger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiger-vs-tinder)
- **timer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/timer-vs-tinder)
- **tides** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tides-vs-tinder)
- **Tiber** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tiber-vs-tinder)
- **tender** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tender-vs-tinder)
- **timber** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/timber-vs-tinder)
- **tended** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tended-vs-tinder)

## Common misspellings (9)
`itnder`, `tidner`, `tindder`, `tinderr`, `tindre`, `tinedr`, `tinnder`, `tnider`, `ttinder`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/tinder