Image: Wikimedia Commons

match

Small, coated stick which can be ignited by friction to light a fire

EntityQ37507

Also known as matchstick · sulfur match · sulphur match · safety match · match stick

Subclass of: physical tool
, fire-making tool
, disposable product

Overview

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · Read full article · Text CC BY-SA 4.0

A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matches are packaged in matchboxes, and paper matches are partially cut into rows and stapled into matchbooks. The coated end of a match, known as the match "head", consists of a bead of active ingredients and binder, often colored for easier inspection. There are two main types of matches: safety matches, which can be struck only against a specially prepared surface, and strike-anywhere matches, for which any suitably frictional surface can be used.

Overview

All data

54 statements · 22% with external sources · numbers in brackets are citations

Made from material: wood
phosphorus sesquisulfide
cardboard
phosphorus
potassium chlorate
paraffin wax
hide glue
Has use: firelighting
Different from: lighter
electric match

On other databases

33 identifiers linking match across the web's reference databases

Data quality

statements

22%

externally sourced

Source last edited August 24, 2026. AIDB refreshes this page daily.

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AIDB. (2026). match (Q37507). Retrieved from https://aidb.si/e/match-Q37507