glint vs glitter what difference
what is difference between glint and glitter
English
Etymology
15th century. Borrowed from Scots glint; from Middle English glenten (“to shine, gleam; flash”); probably alteration of Old Norse [Term?]; from Middle High German glinzen; from Proto-Germanic *glintaną, *glintjaną; from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰley- (“to shine”). Cognate with Swedish glänta, glinta (“to slip, slide, gleam, shine”), Swedish glimt. Reintroduced into literary English by Robert Burns.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ɡlɪnt/
- Rhymes: -ɪnt
Noun
glint (plural glints)
- A short flash of light.
- I saw the glint of metal as he raised the gun.
Translations
Adjective
glint (comparative more glint, superlative most glint)
- (archaic, Shropshire, of a blade) Not sharp; dull.
- The knife is glint.
Verb
glint (third-person singular simple present glints, present participle glinting, simple past and past participle glinted)
- (intransitive) To flash or gleam briefly.
- A wedding ring glinted on her finger.
- (intransitive) To glance; to peep forth, as a flower from the bud; to glitter.
- 1785, Robert Burns, The Holy Fair
- The rising sun owre Galston muirs, / Wi’ glorious light was glintin’
- 1785, Robert Burns, The Holy Fair
- (transitive) To cause to flash or gleam; to reflect.
- 1980, Inquiry Magazine
- The scientists theorized that a meteoroid, ranging in size from a speck of dust to a marble, might have struck the satellite and chipped off a bit of debris that glinted a ray of sun back on the Vela’s second sensor […]
- 1980, Inquiry Magazine
- (archaic, Shropshire, transitive) To dry; to wither.
- The sun glints grass and corn.
Translations
References
- Wright, Joseph (1900) The English Dialect Dictionary[1], volume 2, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pages 644–645
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