SPLINTER

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Middle Dutch; akin to Middle Low German splinte splint Date: 14th century 1. a thin piece split or broken off lengthwise ; sliver , a small needlelike particle, a group or faction broken away from a parent body, ~ adjective ~y adjective II. verb (~ed; ~ing) Date: 1582 transitive verb to split or rend into long thin pieces ; shiver , to split into fragments, parts, or factions, intransitive verb to become ~ed