Definition of "splinter"

splinter¹

/ˈsplɪn.tə(ɹ)/

noun
plural splinters
1. A long, sharp fragment of material, often wood.
  1. A small such fragment that gets embedded in the flesh.
2. A group that formed by splitting off from a larger membership.
3. (bridge) A double-jump bid which indicates shortage in the bid suit.

splinter²

/ˈsplɪn.tə(ɹ)/

verb
third-person singular simple present splinters, present participle splintering, simple past and past participle splintered
1. (intransitive) To come apart into long sharp fragments.
2. (transitive) To cause to break apart into long sharp fragments.
  Quotations
  After splintering their lances, they wheeled about, and […] abandoned the field to the enemy.
  1855–1858, William H[ickling] Prescott, History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain, volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), Boston, Mass.: Phillips, Sampson, and Company
3. (figuratively, of a group) To break, or cause to break, into factions.
4. (transitive) To fasten or confine with splinters, or splints, as a broken limb.
  Quotations
  it will be very hard for Me to Splinter up the broken confuséd Pieces of it.
  1659, Matthew Wren, Monarchy Asserted Or The State of Monarchicall & Popular Government