glint
Americannoun
-
glints
plural
verb (used without object)
-
glints,
present (3rd person singular)
-
glinted,
past participle, past
-
glinting
present participle
-
to shine with a glint.
-
to move suddenly; dart.
verb (used with object)
-
glints,
present (3rd person singular)
-
glinted,
past participle, past
-
glinting
present participle
verb
noun
-
a bright gleam or flash
-
brightness or gloss
-
a brief indication
Synonym Usage
See flash.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
glintsimple
-
glintssimple
-
have glintedperfect
-
has glintedperfect
-
am glintingprogressive
-
are glintingprogressive
-
is glintingprogressive
-
have been glintingperfect progressive
-
has been glintingperfect progressive
Past
-
glintedsimple
-
had glintedperfect
-
was glintingprogressive
-
were glintingprogressive
-
had been glintingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of glint
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English glint, variant of obsolete glent; compare Danish glente, Swedish dialect glänta “to glimpse, brighten”
Explanation
A glint is a brief flash or flicker of light. You might enjoy gazing at the glint of light on the water as you lie on the beach in the summer time. You can use the word glint as a noun or a verb: your brother's braces might glint in the afternoon sun, and freshly fallen snow sometimes glints under streetlamps at night. Glint is a Scottish word, first coined in the late 1700s, that comes from the Middle English glenten, "gleam, flash, or glisten." Its ultimate root is Scandinavian, possibly from the same root as the word glass.
Vocabulary lists containing glint
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
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Prisoner B-3087
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A Long Way from Chicago
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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.
See Examples For:
Livieri doesn’t need more than a glint to know what’s out there.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
In his work exist iconic signs of beloved local establishments — like the Playpen — the blinding glint reflecting off downtown’s skyline, telephone poles regarded as totems.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 17, 2026
If it doesn’t glint in the light, I’m not interested.
From Salon ● Mar. 5, 2026
Netflix’s purchase of WBD would result in a “big market share” he says with a glint in his eye.
From Barron's ● Feb. 4, 2026
I swear there’s a mocking glint in Breanna’s eye.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
A few of the people, including a man with a camera, stared at the sky, studying the way the smoke rose and shifted, letting in glints of light and then closing again.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2025
There are moments when Ewan McGregor’s performance — with its glints of hurt and anger — points to a tougher, truer, more nuanced movie than the one you’re watching.
From New York Times ● Feb. 14, 2024
Across our own solar system, scientists can detect the presence of liquid oceans by observing "glints" -- flashes of sunlight that reflect off liquid surfaces.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 28, 2023
Cables snake everywhere, insulation glints in the sunlight, ceiling panels have yet to be fitted and protective coverings mask the floors - but the hard work is done.
From BBC ● Jun. 6, 2023
I turned and saw brief glints of something, like dust lit by sunlight.
From "The Book of Unknown Americans" by Cristina Henríquez
Dressed in a layered outfit, Multani’s right wrist glinted with a Kara — an iron bracelet, known as one of five articles of Sikh faith — decorated with Punjabi language script and proudly visible.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026
On a recent Friday, the ruffled surface of Hood Canal glinted in the sun, while a favorable shoreward breeze kept the ambient temperature exactly perfect.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 10, 2023
Back at the tea room, Chao lifted her teacup to her lips as light glinted off the silver rings that circled her fingers.
From New York Times ● Mar. 20, 2023
Its dagger-like fangs glinted in the dim light.
From Slate ● Dec. 24, 2022
Coraline raised the stone to her eye and she scanned the room through it, looking for something that glowed or glinted, a telltale sign that somewhere in this room was another hidden soul.
From "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman
His third delivery, one followed with a glinting glare, beat the edge of Henry Nicholls' bat.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
The small canvas shows a young woman set on a dark background, her head turned towards the viewer and a pearl earring glinting from beneath her blue and cream turban.
From Barron's ● Jan. 8, 2026
"It's like many, many thousands of rotating, glinting ruffled potato chips."
From Salon ● Apr. 4, 2025
New John Deere tractors made their way last week through the sprawling port of Brunswick, Ga., their distinctive green paint glinting in the sunshine.
From New York Times ● Apr. 17, 2024
Most of the lids are already shut, fluorescent fluid glinting inside.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
