A thin stick of wood with a flammable chemical coating on one end, used to start fires when struck against a rough surface.
From 'match' (from Old French 'meche' meaning wick) and 'stick' (from Old English 'sticca'). The compound term emerged in the 19th century when matches became mass-produced.
Matchsticks revolutionized fire-making in the 1800s and were so simple yet world-changing that 'match girl' factories in Victorian England became tragic symbols of child labor—inspiring famous plays and reforms.
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