[splin.ter] n [ME, fr. MD; akin to MLG splinte splint] (14c) 1 a: a thin piece split or broken off lengthwise: sliver b: a small needlelike particle
2: a group or faction broken away from a parent body -- splinter adj -- splin.tery adj
[2]splinter vb splin.tered ; splin.ter.ing vt (1582) 1: to split or rend into long thin pieces: shiver
2: to split into fragments, parts, or factions ~ vi: to become splintered