# tinderbox

> English word · Noun · frequency rank #92,158

## Definitions
1. A small container containing flint, steel, and tinder (dry, finely-divided fibrous matter), once used to help kindle a fire.
2. A place that is so dry and hot that there is danger of fire.
3. A potentially dangerous situation.

## Etymology
From tinder + box, first use appears c. 1530, in the writings of John Palsgrave.

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