: a bundle of fibers or a loosely twisted, braided, or woven cord, tape, or tube usually of soft spun cotton threads that by capillary attraction draws up to be burned a steady supply of the oil in lamps or the melted tallow or wax in candles
wicked; wicking; wicks
: to absorb or drain (a fluid, moisture, etc.) like a wick
a fabric that wicks away perspiration
Examples of wick in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Apr. 2024
There were candles everywhere, some lit, some just thick stains of wax and a stub of a wick.
—Hazlitt, 13 Mar. 2024
It’s made of a coconut and beeswax blend with a braided cotton wick.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 23 Feb. 2024
The butter arrived in a column with a wick that was lit to melt it.
—Eleni N. Gage, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Jan. 2024
These boxer briefs from Nike live up to their name with a comfortable fit that wicks away sweat to keep you feeling cool and fresh all day long.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Travel + Leisure, 24 Jan. 2024
That’s where workers stand on either side of a slow-moving conveyor belt pulling at wicks with bent needle-nose pliers, straightening them out and centering them before the candles move on to be lidded, labeled and packed up for shipment.
—Lauren Weber, WSJ, 7 Jan. 2024
The heat from the lamp warms your scented candle’s wax so the aroma is released without reducing any of the wax (like with lighting the wick).
—Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024
These devices use a fan that blows air through a moist wick filter; as the water evaporates it’s pushed out of the humidifier as a water vapor.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Feb. 2024
Maya Polton, Parents, 28 Mar. 2024
But if the padding is damp, moisture laden with remnants of that deep stain will wick to the surface as the carpet fibers dry.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
The Tuft & Needle Original pillow is infused with graphite and cooling gel to help wick away stuffy air and keep you cool overnight.
—Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2024
And, like most of Lululemon’s tops, this one dries super fast and wicks away sweat.
—Staff Author and Katie Jackson Published, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2023
At the same time, the unglazed terracotta foot allows water to wick back up into the soil as needed.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Mar. 2024
They are designed to wick away moisture and provide all-day comfort.
—Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 6 Feb. 2024
For surfers, the material provides rash guard-style protection, and it's made with a breathable fabric that wicks away moisture and is quick-drying.
—Becca Blond, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2024
Other features of overnight diapers include higher coverage in the front and back, extra-strong fasteners, and additional layers of material that wick away moisture.
—Sarah Bradley, Parents, 13 Feb. 2024
Noun
What to Know About Evaporative Humidifiers Before Shopping Operation
An evaporative humidifier relies on a fan that blows water from the device’s water tank through a wick or filter.
—Paige Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Apr. 2024
There were candles everywhere, some lit, some just thick stains of wax and a stub of a wick.
—Hazlitt, 13 Mar. 2024
It’s made of a coconut and beeswax blend with a braided cotton wick.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 23 Feb. 2024
The butter arrived in a column with a wick that was lit to melt it.
—Eleni N. Gage, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Jan. 2024
These boxer briefs from Nike live up to their name with a comfortable fit that wicks away sweat to keep you feeling cool and fresh all day long.
—Barbara Bellesi Zito, Travel + Leisure, 24 Jan. 2024
That’s where workers stand on either side of a slow-moving conveyor belt pulling at wicks with bent needle-nose pliers, straightening them out and centering them before the candles move on to be lidded, labeled and packed up for shipment.
—Lauren Weber, WSJ, 7 Jan. 2024
The heat from the lamp warms your scented candle’s wax so the aroma is released without reducing any of the wax (like with lighting the wick).
—Nicola Fumo, Peoplemag, 26 Feb. 2024
These devices use a fan that blows air through a moist wick filter; as the water evaporates it’s pushed out of the humidifier as a water vapor.
—Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Feb. 2024
Verb
Made from a blend of polyester, spandex, and nylon, these socks are specifically designed to wick away sweat from your kiddo’s feet, leaving them cool and comfortable.
—Maya Polton, Parents, 28 Mar. 2024
But if the padding is damp, moisture laden with remnants of that deep stain will wick to the surface as the carpet fibers dry.
—Jeanne Huber, Washington Post, 23 Feb. 2024
The Tuft & Needle Original pillow is infused with graphite and cooling gel to help wick away stuffy air and keep you cool overnight.
—Samantha Jones, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2024
And, like most of Lululemon’s tops, this one dries super fast and wicks away sweat.
—Staff Author and Katie Jackson Published, Travel + Leisure, 26 Dec. 2023
At the same time, the unglazed terracotta foot allows water to wick back up into the soil as needed.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Mar. 2024
They are designed to wick away moisture and provide all-day comfort.
—Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 6 Feb. 2024
For surfers, the material provides rash guard-style protection, and it's made with a breathable fabric that wicks away moisture and is quick-drying.
—Becca Blond, Travel + Leisure, 20 Feb. 2024
Other features of overnight diapers include higher coverage in the front and back, extra-strong fasteners, and additional layers of material that wick away moisture.
—Sarah Bradley, Parents, 13 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wick.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near wick
Cite this Entry
“Wick.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wick. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
wick
1 of 2 noun
: a strip of material (as gauze) placed in a wound to serve as a drain
wick
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to absorb or drain (as fluid or moisture) like a wick
—often used with away
a dry gauze dressing was used to wick exudate away from the wound
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