A friction match with a large head, or a wooden spindle used in spinning; also a type of rocket or flare.
From French fusée, derived from Latin fusus (spindle). The term evolved to mean a large match because of its spindle-like shape, and later applied to rocket-like objects.
Fusees were the predecessor to modern matches—they required friction but produced a longer, more reliable flame, making them essential for 19th-century sailors and soldiers.
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