glimmer
From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: Glimmer
English
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.
Pronunciation
Noun
glimmer (countable and uncountable, plural glimmers)
- A faint light; a dim glow.
- The glimmer of the fireflies was pleasant to watch.
- A flash of light.
- A faint or remote possibility (as it were a flash of light).
- Synonym: glimpse
- a glimmer of hope
- (dated, uncountable) Mica.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
faint light
|
flash of light
Verb
glimmer (third-person singular simple present glimmers, present participle glimmering, simple past and past participle glimmered)
- (intransitive) To shine with a faint, unsteady light.
- Synonyms: flicker, glimpse, shimmer, twinkle; see also Thesaurus:glisten
- the glimmering dawn a glimmering lamp
- The fireflies glimmered in the dark.
- c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
- The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day.
Translations
to shine with a faint, unsteady light
|
Icelandic
Etymology
Borrowed from Danish glimmer, from glimre (“to glimmer”). Cognate with glimrandi (“splendid”), which is also from Danish. False friend with English glimmer.
Noun
glimmer n (genitive singular glimmers, no plural)
- glitter (small decorative shiny particles)
- (mineralogy) mica
Declension
Declension of glimmer (sg-only neuter)
References
- Kristín Bjarnadóttir, editor (2002–2025), “glimmer”, in Beygingarlýsing íslensks nútímamáls [The Database of Modern Icelandic Inflection] (in Icelandic), Reykjavík: The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies
Norwegian Bokmål
Etymology
Derived from glimre (“glitter, glisten, sparkle”). Sense 2 is from German Glimmer. Has also undergone influence from English.
Noun
glimmer m (definite singular glimmeren, uncountable)
- (literary and formal) magnificence, glitter, tinsel, something that shines
- Rikdommens glimmer
- The tinsel of wealth
- Rikdommens glimmer
- mica
- Glimmer er et mineral som lett spaltes i tynne flak.
- Mica is a mineral that easily separates into thin leaves.
Synonyms
Derived terms
- glimmerskifer
- Lys glimmer = white mica (literally: "bright mica")
References
Norwegian Nynorsk
Etymology
Derived from glimre (“glitter, glisten, sparkle”), with influence from English. The definition is from German Glimmer.
Noun
glimmer m (definite singular glimmeren, uncountable)
- mica
- Glimmer er eit mineral som lett spaltast i tynne flak.
- Mica is a mineral that easily separates into thin leaves.
Synonyms
Derived terms
- glimmerskifer
- Lys glimmer = white mica (literally: "bright mica")
References
- “glimmer” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.
Swedish
Etymology 1
Noun
glimmer c
Declension
| nominative | genitive | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| singular | indefinite | glimmer | glimmers |
| definite | glimmern | glimmerns | |
| plural | indefinite | — | — |
| definite | — | — |
Etymology 2
Noun
glimmer n
Declension
| nominative | genitive | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| singular | indefinite | glimmer | glimmers |
| definite | glimret | glimrets | |
| plural | indefinite | glimmer | glimmers |
| definite | glimren | glimrens |
References
- glimmer in Svensk ordbok (SO)
- glimmer in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
- glimmer in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
- glimra in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)
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