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glit·ter

(glĭtər)

1. A sparkling or glistening light.

2. Brilliant or showy, often superficial attractiveness.

3. Small pieces of light-reflecting decorative material.

intr.v. glit·tered, glit·ter·ing, glit·ters

1. To sparkle brilliantly; glisten: a gold ring that glittered in the display window; eyes that glittered with tears. See Synonyms at flash.

2. To be reflected as a sparkling or glistening light: The sun glittered on the snow.

[Middle English gliteren, to sparkle, from Old Norse glitra; see ghel-² in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

glitter·ing·ly adv.

glitter·y adj.

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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