glister

English

Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

From Middle English glisteren, either borrowed from or related to Middle Low German and/or Middle Dutch glisteren; like a host of other Germanic words in gl- related to shining, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰley-.

Verb

glister (third-person singular simple present glisters, present participle glistering, simple past and past participle glistered)

1. (intransitive, archaic) To gleam, glisten, or coruscate.
   • c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene vii]:

     All that gliſters is not gold.

   • 1608, [Guillaume de Salluste] Du Bartas, “[Du Bartas His First VVeek, or Birth of the VVorld: […].] The Fift Daie of the First VVeek.”, in Josuah Sylvester, transl., Du Bartas His Deuine Weekes and Workes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Humfrey Lownes [and are to be sold by Arthur Iohnson […]], published 1611, →OCLC, page 140:

     But, as the Phœnix on my Front doth gliſter, / Thou ſhalt the Finials of my Frame illuſtre.

   • 1945, J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lay of Autrou and Itroun:

     […] strangely she glistered in the sun / as she leaped forth in the sun […]

Translations

to gleam, glisten, or coruscate

Russian: блесте́ть (ru) (blestétʹ)

Noun

glister (plural glisters)

1. A brilliant flash; a glint

Etymology 2

Compare Old French glistere.

Noun

glister (plural glisters)

1. Alternative form of clyster

Anagrams

• Stigler, gristle, riglets