scintillate
/ˈsɪn.təˌleɪt/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.08 in modern English
13
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
Of a star or other celestial body: to vary rapidly in brightness; to twinkle.
verb
Especially of a phosphor: to emit a flash of light upon absorbing ionizing radiation.
Example Sentences
- "Much interest appears to have been lately excited in England by Dr. Clarke's Experiments on the Blow-pipe, and the dangers of explosion attempted to be guarded against, by various contrivances. The following letter inserted in the Philosophical Magazine for December 1816, will show the importance attached to this interesting application of the gases in promoting fusion. […] 1. Platinum as thick as a stocking wire was instantly fused, scintillated, and fell into a large globule. 2. Palladium fused instantly and slightly scintillated."
- "In fact, the whole place scintillated. Madame scintillated with combs and finery and jewellery behind the counter, mirrors innumerable scintillated behind Madame, whilst the ragtime scintillated from (as I discovered) a pianola […]"
- "The streets of Rangoon, wallowing in sun, flashed and scintillated with strolling crowds, skirted in their best silk longyis."
- "There it no other word to describe it; the book scintillates. It moves with a rush and a sweep that carry the reader along like a chip on the current of the Niagara rapids."
- "The interior of the prison flashed white with suddenly-turned faces. The gloom scintillated, as it were, with rapidly-moving hands."
- "I seemed suddenly to see everything in a brilliant light. All was scintillating. I seemed to be enlightened and understood everything with which people were involved."
Etymology
Origin
- Source language: Latin
Word Breakdown
- Root: scintillatus
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈsɪn.təˌleɪt/
- British English: /ˈsɪn.tɪˌleɪt/