English Explanatory Dictionary

glimmer

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A faint light; a dim glow.
  2. A flash of light.
  3. A faint or remote possibility (as it were a flash of light).
  4. Mica.
  5. A subtle, positive micromoment that evokes feelings of joy, safety, calm, or connection.
verb
  1. To shine with a faint, unsteady light.

Pronunciation

/ˈɡlɪməː/ [ˈɡlɪməː] en-au-glimmer.ogg /ˈɡlɪmɚ/ [ˈɡlɪmɚ] ~ [ˈɡlɪmɹ̩] en-us-glimmer.ogg

Word forms

glimmer glimmers glimmering glimmered

Etymology

From Middle English glimeren, glemeren (“to glimmer”), equivalent to glim (“to shine”) + -er (frequentative suffix). Cognate with German Low German glimmern (“to glimmer”), German glimmern (“to glimmer”), Danish glimre (“to glimmer”), Swedish glimra (“to glimmer”). Doublet of glimpse. Sense 5 was coined in the 2020s in analogy to trigger.

Synonyms

flicker shimmer sparkle glimpse comfort twinkle coruscate flash gleam glitter glisten luster sheen shine

Antonyms

trigger

Derived words

flimmer glimmer-gowk glimmer of hope aglimmer glimmerite glimmersome glimmery
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