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)
- A small or indistinct shaft or stream of light.
- Synonyms: beam, ray
- (figuratively) A glimpse or hint; an indistinct sign of something.
- Synonyms: flicker, glimmer, trace
- 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)
- To shine; to glitter; to glisten.
- Synonyms: glint, sparkle, glow, shine
- To be briefly but strongly apparent.
- Synonyms: flare, flash, kindle
- (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)
- 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
- 1913, Mary Averill, Japanese flower arrangement Chapter 20
- A shiny, decorative adornment, sometimes sprinkled on glue to make simple artwork.
- (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)
- 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.
- 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)
- glitter (shiny, decorative dust)
Spanish
Etymology
Borrowed from English glitter.
Noun
glitter m (plural glitteres)
- glitter
Swedish
Etymology
Probably from Old Norse glitra.
Noun
glitter n (uncountable)
- glitter; a shiny, decorative adornment
Declension
Related terms
- glittra
- glittrig
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