To singe means to burn something slightly on the surface, usually by accident. When you pass your hand too quickly over a candle flame, you might singe the tiny hairs on your arm. When a chef leans over a gas stove, the flame might singe the ends of their hair.

The word suggests a quick, superficial burn that browns or blackens the surface without destroying the whole thing. A singed piece of paper has blackened, curled edges but remains mostly intact. Fabric that gets too close to a campfire might get singed, leaving brown marks and a burnt smell even though it doesn't catch fire.

Sometimes singeing happens on purpose. Chefs singe the skin of a plucked chicken or duck to remove any remaining tiny feathers. Historically, people would singe the end of a rope to prevent it from unraveling.