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glim·mer

(glĭmər)

1. A dim or intermittent flicker or flash of light.

2. A faint manifestation or indication; a trace: a glimmer of understanding.

intr.v. glim·mered, glim·mer·ing, glim·mers

1. To emit a dim, intermittent light: "The ocean glimmered on her left like an iridescent pewter bowl" (Elizabeth Adler). See Synonyms at flash.

2. To be reflected in dim, intermittent flashes: "Starlight glimmered on rusty metal" (David Drake).

3. To appear faintly or indistinctly: Hope still glimmered in our minds.

[Middle English glimeren, to glitter, glimmer; see ghel-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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