A wick made of twisted cotton threads, commonly used in candles and oil lamps.
Cotton (the fiber, from Arabic qutun) + wick (from Old English weoce or wice, possibly related to 'weak'—as in something that weakens/breaks away).
Cotton wicks were essential technology—they burn steadily and draw fuel up through capillary action, which is why candles with cotton wicks gave better, cleaner light than rushes or reeds.
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