sparkly
Americanadjective
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tending to sparkle; animated; lively.
a row of sparkly cheerleaders.
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(of a wine) naturally carbonated; effervescent.
Etymology
Origin of sparkly
Explanation
The adjective sparkly is useful for describing an object that glints with light, like a disco ball, or a person whose personality is equally bright and bubbly. A little girl's glittery shoes are sparkly, and so is sunlight flashing on the surface of a lake. When people are described as sparkly, it's usually because they are vivacious and enthusiastic, the life of the party. The word sparkly was first used in the 1920s, from sparkle, which in turn comes from spark. The origin isn't known for sure, but it may be rooted in the Old Norse word sparkr, "sprightly."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sparkly shoes or thigh-high boots, balanced on ubiquitous platforms, lift her up.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 22, 2023
Sparkly costumes are a key part of Stowell’s “Swan Lake.”
From Seattle Times • Apr. 19, 2022
Sparkly “Of course I’m a feminist” decals adorned laptops and water bottles, loudly and proudly declaring our convictions.
From Slate • Nov. 30, 2017
Sparkly pin-points of light in seven illuminated wall-reliefs that ring the large room create a glittering intergalactic environment — or, perhaps, portholes beneath a mysterious sea.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 27, 2017
“Have I not given you everything a computer could want? Clean vents? Regular scans? Sparkly cases? Ugh. I can’t even look at you.”
From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
