Word of the Day for Monday April 25, 2005 scintilla \sin-TIL-uh\, noun: A tiny or scarcely detectable amount; the slightest particle; a trace; a spark. In victory, they must hold on to at least a scintilla of humility, lest they get too cocky -- and ripe for a takedown. --Bill Breen, "'We are literally trying to stop time,'" [1]Fast Company, May 2000 "I bear her not one scintilla of ill will," he said. --Sarah Lyall, "That Harriman Book," [2]New York Times, May 4, 1994 There was never a scintilla of doubt, or a hint of equivocation, in Michael about his commitment to the party. --"Ferris's decency and sense of fun recalled," [3]Irish Times, March 23, 2000 _________________________________________________________ Scintilla is from Latin scintilla, "a spark, a glimmer, a faint trace." Also from scintilla is the verb scintillate, "to sparkle." References 1. http://www.fastcompany.com/ 2. http://www.nytimes.com/ 3. http://www.ireland.com/ Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=9&q=scintilla