Sparking

How to spell sparking

8 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce sparking

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does sparking mean?

1. verbThrowing off small fiery particles or electrical flashes.
2. verbSetting something in motion or prompting a sudden reaction.

Sparking in a sentence

• The frayed cable was sparking dangerously behind the fridge.

• The new tax proposal is sparking heated debate among local businesses.

• The grinder kept sparking as it bit into the steel bar.

• Her keynote speech was sparking fresh interest in the project.

Where does sparking come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This is the present participle of the verb 'spark', which descends from the Old English noun 'spearca', meaning a small glowing or burning particle thrown off by a fire. The same notion survives across the Germanic family, with related forms in Middle Dutch and other neighbouring tongues, all pointing to the idea of a tiny fleck of fire. The verb sense, 'to throw off sparks', grew naturally out of the noun, and by the later medieval period English speakers were using it for the flashes given off by struck flint or burning wood. From there the meaning widened figuratively, so that an event could 'spark' a reaction much as a flying ember can kindle a flame. Because the root ends in the consonant cluster 'rk', the spelling simply adds '-ing' without doubling any letter, which makes 'sparking' one of the more predictable participles to write.

How the word is built

• spark (root: a glowing particle or burst of flame)
• -ing (present participle suffix)