glint

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Origin and Etymology of glint

Middle English, to dart obliquely, glint, alteration of glenten, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect glänta to clear up; akin to Old High German glanz bright, Old English geolu yellow — more at yellow

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First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

See Words from the same year

glint Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of glint

flash, gleam, glint, sparkle, glitter, glisten, glimmer, shimmer mean to send forth light. flash implies a sudden outburst of bright light.

- lightning flashed

gleam suggests a steady light seen through an obscuring medium or against a dark background.

- lights gleamed in the valley

glint implies a cold glancing light.

- glinting steel

sparkle suggests innumerable moving points of bright light.

- the sparkling waters

glitter connotes a brilliant sparkling or gleaming.

- glittering diamonds

glisten applies to the soft sparkle from a wet or oily surface.

- glistening wet sidewalk

glimmer suggests a faint or wavering gleam.

- a distant glimmering light

shimmer means shining with a wavering light.

- a shimmering satin dress

glint

noun

Definition of glint

1 : a tiny bright flash of light

2 : a brief or faint manifestation : glimmer

a glint of recognition

; also : a trace of emotion expressed through the eyes

a steely glint in his eye

See glint defined for English-language learners

Examples of glint in a Sentence

He saw glints of sunlight on the river's surface.

Recent Examples of glint from the Web

But there was a small glint of sunshine for Eurocrats amid the gathering clouds.

— The Economist, "How the EU is trying to find out what on Earth Europeans want," 10 May 2018
And the gray-green curtains have a gold thread running through the fabric that throws off little glints as light hits them.

— barbara king, House Beautiful, "Thomas Callaway on Refreshing a 1920s House," 25 Feb. 2015
Use a flashlight while tweezing to try to catch a glint of the glass.

— gina tomaine, Good Housekeeping, "This Is The Best Way To Get Broken Glass Or Splinters Out Of Your Foot," 11 July 2017
In the evenings, when the lab’s rooftop sees most of its use, the sun reflects off of an enormous abandoned building in front, the orange glint off glass studded with dull gaps where windows are broken like wet black eyes.

— julia cooke, Curbed, "How Mexico City’s urban innovation lab tackles the city’s challenges," 18 Apr. 2018
Now Oladipo looks like a bull, backing up and pawing at the dirt and spotting a glint of red and just storming toward the rim.

— gregg doyel, Indianapolis Star, "Doyel: How Pacers' Victor Oladipo found a new, unstoppable weapon," 16 Apr. 2018
Such efforts on some level approach country music as a well of authenticity artists can drink from to banish the plastic glint of pop.

— spencer kornhaber, The Atlantic, "Telling the Pop-Star-Goes-Country Story Again," 6 Apr. 2018
But the sweet glaze of memory, like the blandishment of false philosophy, still offers glints of something darker beneath the surface.

— jesse green, New York Times, "Review: The Chaos Beneath the Chorale in ‘The Lucky Ones’," 31 Mar. 2018
An old Venetian lantern and a new Venetian mirror add a glint of silver.

— sarah yang, House Beautiful, "Top Pin of the Day: A Traditional Foyer," 13 May 2014

First Known Use of glint

14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

GLINT Defined for English Language Learners

glint

verb

Definition of glint for English Language Learners

: to shine in small bright flashes

glint

noun

Definition of glint for English Language Learners

: a small flash of light
: a small amount of emotion seen in a person's eyes

GLINT Defined for Kids

glint

verb \ ˈglint \

Definition of glint for Students

glinted; glinting

: to shine with tiny bright flashes

glint

noun

Definition of glint for Students

: a brief flash

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See words that rhyme with glint Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for glint Spanish Central: Translation of glint Nglish: Translation of glint for Spanish speakers

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glint

Definition of glint

Examples of glint in a Sentence

Recent Examples of glint from the Web

Origin and Etymology of glint

glint Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

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Synonym Discussion of glint

glint

Definition of glint

Examples of glint in a Sentence

Recent Examples of glint from the Web

First Known Use of glint

GLINT Defined for English Language Learners

glint

Definition of glint for English Language Learners

glint

Definition of glint for English Language Learners

GLINT Defined for Kids

glint

Definition of glint for Students

glint

Definition of glint for Students

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