Definition of the word tinderbox

The word "tinderbox" has its roots in medieval English as "tyndurboç," a term used to describe a vessel filled with materials used to ignite a fire, specifically, a wooden box filled with kindling wood or other flammable materials. The term "tinder" derived from the Middle English word "tynde," which meant "dry material used to start a fire." This dry material would often be gathered from natural sources such as bark, leaves, or moss and then stored in the tinderbox. The term "tinderbox" is a metaphorical extension of this original meaning, now used to describe something that easily ignites, such as a person whose temperament or rash behavior tends to spark controversy or conflict - a figurative "box" of tension and extremism, being easily ignited like kindling in a fire. The original literal meaning, however, remains vivid as an essential tool for starting fires, be it for survival, cooking, or signaling.