glimmer

See also: Glimmer

English

WOTD – 30 November 2006

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).

Pronunciation

  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˈɡlɪmə(ɹ)/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈɡlɪmɚ/
  • (file)
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪmə(ɹ)

Noun

glimmer (plural glimmers)

  1. A faint light; a dim glow.
    The glimmer of the fireflies was pleasant to watch.
  2. A flash of light.
  3. A faint or remote possibility.
    A glimmer of hope.
  4. (dated) mica

Synonyms

Translations

Verb

glimmer (third-person singular simple present glimmers, present participle glimmering, simple past and past participle glimmered)

  1. (intransitive) To shine with a faint, unsteady light.
    The fireflies glimmered in the dark.
    the glimmering dawn; a glimmering lamp
    • Shakespeare
      The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day.

Synonyms

Translations


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)

  1. (literary and formal) magnificence, glitter, tinsel, something that shines
    Rikdommens glimmer
    The tinsel of wealth
  2. mica
    Glimmer er et mineral som lett spaltes i tynne flak.
    Mica is a mineral that easily separates into thin leaves.

Synonyms

  • (sense 1) glans, prakt, herlighet
  • (sense 2) kråkesølv, mica, mikanitt

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)

  1. mica
    Glimmer er eit mineral som lett spaltast i tynne flak.
    Mica is a mineral that easily separates into thin leaves.

Synonyms

  • kråkesølv, mica, mikanitt

Derived terms

  • glimmerskifer
  • Lys glimmer = white mica (literally: "bright mica")

References

This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.