gleam vs glitter what difference

what is difference between gleam and glitter

English

Etymology

• (noun) From Middle English gleme, from Old English glæm, from Proto-Germanic *glaimiz, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰley-.
• (verb) Derived from the Middle English noun form before the first millennium.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡliːm/
• Rhymes: -iːm

Noun

gleam (plural gleams)

1. A small or indistinct shaft or stream of light.

   Synonyms: beam, ray
2. (figuratively) A glimpse or hint; an indistinct sign of something.

   Synonyms: flicker, glimmer, trace

3. Brightness or shininess; splendor.

   Synonyms: dazzle, lambency, shine

Translations

Verb

gleam (third-person singular simple present gleams, present participle gleaming, simple past and past participle gleamed) (intransitive)

1. To shine; to glitter; to glisten.

   Synonyms: glint, sparkle, glow, shine

2. To be briefly but strongly apparent.

   Synonyms: flare, flash, kindle

3. (obsolete, falconry) To disgorge filth, as a hawk.

Translations

See also

• leam

References

• “gleam”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, →ISBN.
• “gleam” in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• “gleam” in On-line Medical Dictionary, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 1997–2005.
• “gleam” in WordNet 2.0, Princeton University, 2003.

Anagrams

• Gamel, megal-

English

Etymology

From Middle English gliteren, from Old Norse glitra, from Proto-Germanic *glitrōną (“to glitter”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰley-.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɡlɪtə(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɡlɪtɚ/, [ˈɡlɪɾɚ]
• Rhymes: -ɪtə(r)

Noun

glitter (countable and uncountable, plural glitters)

1. A bright, sparkling light; shininess or brilliance.
   • 1913, Mary Averill, Japanese flower arrangement Chapter 20

     This to them seems most like mother earth in color, and therefore best, as it is, to enhance the beauty of flowers instead of detracting from their exquisite shades. What a contrast to the glitter and show of our silver vases, which represent generally little else but their cost.

   • 1841, Charles Dickens, Barnaby Rudge Chapter 57

     As yet there had been no symptom of the news having any better foundation than in the fears of those who brought it, but The Boot had not been deserted five minutes, when there appeared, coming across the fields, a body of men who, it was easy to see, by the glitter of their arms and ornaments in the sun, and by their orderly and regular mode of advancing

2. A shiny, decorative adornment, sometimes sprinkled on glue to make simple artwork.
3. (figuratively) Glitz.

Descendants

• → Portuguese: glitter
• → Spanish: glitter

Translations

Verb

glitter (third-person singular simple present glitters, present participle glittering, simple past and past participle glittered)

1. To sparkle with light; to shine with a brilliant and broken light or showy luster; to gleam.

   a glittering sword

   the glittering ornaments on a Christmas tree

   • The field yet glitters with the pomp of war.

2. To be showy, specious, or striking, and hence attractive.

   the glittering scenes of a court

Derived terms

• all that glitters is not gold

Translations

Portuguese

Etymology

Borrowed from English glitter.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈɡli.teʁ/

Noun

glitter m (uncountable)

1. glitter (shiny, decorative dust)

Spanish

Etymology

Borrowed from English glitter.

Noun

glitter m (plural glitteres)

1. glitter

Swedish

Etymology

Probably from Old Norse glitra.

Noun

glitter n (uncountable)

1. glitter; a shiny, decorative adornment

Declension

Related terms

• glittra
• glittrig

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