Words / C2

sin-TIL-uh/sɪnˈtɪlə/

A scintilla is a tiny amount, usually in the negative: not a scintilla of evidence, without a scintilla of doubt (formal / literary). Bit and trace are everyday; iota is the close twin. Do not claim a scintilla of compliance when the cell is blank.

Meaning

A tiny amount; the slightest trace (often not a scintilla of).

Examples

• “There was not a scintilla of a date in the n.”
• “Trace is everyday. Iota is the cousin. Hint is weaker. A footnote can be small and still exact. An empty cell is not a small amount; it is none. Do not dress zero as a spark. Write the number or write that it is missing.”

Good to know

The slightest trace. Everyday: trace / bit. Close: iota. Zero is not a spark.

Near in meaning

trace

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