glitter
/ˈɡlɪtəɹ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.56 in modern English
8
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A shiny, decorative adornment, sometimes sprinkled on glue to make simple artwork.
Countable; Uncountable
verb
To be showy, specious, or striking, and hence attractive.
Example Sentences
- "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."
- "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."
- "a glittering sword"
- "the glittering ornaments on a Christmas tree"
- "The field yet glitters with the pomp of war."
- "the glittering scenes of a court"
Etymology
From Middle English gliteren, from Old Norse glitra, from Proto-Germanic *glitrōną (“to glitter”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰley-.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *ǵʰley-, gliteren, glitra, *glitrōną
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈɡlɪtəɹ/
- British English: /ˈɡlɪtə/