Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

glint

/ɡlɪnt/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.65 in modern English

Syllables
glint
IPA
/ɡlɪnt/
6
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
1
Syllables
5
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A short flash of light, usually when reflected off a shiny surface.

noun

A brief look; a glance.

Obsolete

adj

Not sharp; dull.

Archaic

verb

To flash or gleam briefly.

Intransitive verb

verb

To glance; to peep forth, as a flower from the bud; to glitter.

Intransitive verb

verb

To cause to flash or gleam; to reflect.

Transitive verb

verb

To dry; to wither.

Archaic; Transitive verb

Example Sentences

Etymology

15th century. Borrowed from Scots glint, from Middle English glenten (“to shine, gleam; flash”), probably from Old Norse *glenta, from Proto-Germanic *glantijaną, causitive of Proto-Germanic *glintaną (“to gleam, shine”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰley- (“to shine”). Cognate with Danish glente, Swedish glänta, Norwegian Nynorsk gletta (“to peep, look”), Middle High German glinzen; compare also Swedish glinta (“to slip, slide, gleam, shine”), Swedish glimt (“flash, glint, glimpse”), Norwegian Nynorsk glanta, gletta (“to glide, slip”). Reintroduced into literary English by Robert Burns.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: *ǵʰley-, glint, glenten, *glenta, *glantijaną, *glintaną

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce glint?
The recorded pronunciation is /ɡlɪnt/.
What does glint mean?
A short flash of light, usually when reflected off a shiny surface.
Where does glint come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce glint

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “glint”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɡlɪnt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “glint”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “glint” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.