Small fragments or splinters, especially pieces broken off from something larger. Often used in the phrase 'blown to flinders' meaning completely destroyed.
From Middle English, probably related to 'flint' and Norwegian 'flindra' meaning 'splinter'. The word evolved from describing stone chips to any small broken pieces, with the explosive phrase 'blown to flinders' emerging in the 17th century.
Captain Matthew Flinders, the famous Australian explorer, carried a surname that literally means 'splinters' - quite fitting for someone who sailed dangerous waters where ships could be dashed to pieces on hidden reefs. The word captures both physical fragmentation and complete destruction.
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