spillikin: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very lowArchaic, literary, or specialized (games/historical contexts)
Quick answer
What does “spillikin” mean?
A thin strip of wood, bone, or ivory used in a game (spillikins) where players try to remove one at a time from a pile without disturbing the others.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A thin strip of wood, bone, or ivory used in a game (spillikins) where players try to remove one at a time from a pile without disturbing the others.
Any small, slender object; sometimes used figuratively to refer to something trivial or insignificant.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally rare in both varieties. The game is historically known in both cultures, but the term 'pick-up sticks' is more common in modern American English for the same game.
Connotations
In UK, may evoke a slightly old-fashioned, genteel parlor game. In US, it is largely unknown except to enthusiasts of historical games or antiques.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both, with near-zero occurrences in contemporary corpora.
Grammar
How to Use “spillikin” in a Sentence
play (with) spillikinsa spillikin made of boneremove a spillikin from the heapVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “spillikin” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- He attempted to spillikin the ivory piece from the tangle.
- She spent the afternoon spillikining with her grandmother's set.
American English
- He tried to spillikin the wooden stick from the pile.
- The children were spillikining on the porch.
adjective
British English
- The spillikin game required a steady hand.
- They found a spillikin set in the attic.
American English
- The spillikin pieces were finely carved.
- It was a simple spillikin pastime.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Might appear in historical or anthropological texts describing traditional games.
Everyday
Virtually never used in contemporary conversation.
Technical
Could be used in museum catalogues or antique descriptions.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “spillikin”
- Using it as a common noun for any thin object (hyper-extension).
- Misspelling as 'spilikkin' or 'spillican'.
- Assuming it is a modern, frequently used word.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic word rarely encountered outside historical contexts or discussions of traditional games.
'Spillikin' is the traditional, somewhat archaic term for the individual pieces or the game itself. 'Pick-up sticks' is the modern, more common name for the same game, especially in American English.
Yes, though extremely rare. It can mean 'to play the game of spillikins' or 'to attempt to remove a spillikin'.
Yes, the plural is 'spillikins', which is also the name of the game (e.g., 'a game of spillikins').
A thin strip of wood, bone, or ivory used in a game (spillikins) where players try to remove one at a time from a pile without disturbing the others.
Spillikin is usually archaic, literary, or specialized (games/historical contexts) in register.
Spillikin: in British English it is pronounced /ˈspɪlɪkɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈspɪlɪkɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “not worth a spillikin (extremely trivial)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'spill' + 'kin' (little). A little thing you might spill out of a container to play with.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRIVIALITY IS A SLENDER OBJECT (e.g., 'not worth a spillikin').
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'spillikin' primarily?