A partly burnt piece of coal or wood left in a fire, or ash and burned material.
From Old English 'sinder' (slag, dross), related to Old Norse 'sindr'. The word describes waste from burning, connecting to metallurgy and ancient furnaces where slag was a byproduct.
Cinderella's name literally means 'girl of the cinders'—she sat by the hearth among burned-out coals and ashes, which is why the fairy tale reveals her true position as a servant. Her name told her story!
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