glitter
Americanverb (used without object)
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to reflect light with a brilliant, sparkling luster; sparkle with reflected light.
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to make a brilliant show.
noun
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a sparkling reflected light or luster.
- Synonyms:
- sparkle
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showy splendor.
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small glittering ornaments.
verb
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(of a hard, wet, or polished surface) to reflect light in bright flashes
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(of light) to be reflected in bright flashes
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(usually foll by with) to be decorated or enhanced by the glamour (of)
the show glitters with famous actors
noun
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sparkle or brilliance
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show and glamour
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tiny pieces of shiny decorative material used for ornamentation, as on the skin
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Also called: silver thaw. ice formed from freezing rain
Related Words
See flash.
Other Word Forms
- glitteringly adverb
- glittery adjective
- outglitter verb (used with object)
- unglittering adjective
Etymology
Origin of glitter
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Old Norse glitra; compare Old English glitenian, German gleissen “to shine, glitter”
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.
Instead, eventgoers roamed a largely empty convention center with bare concrete walls void of pink and glitter.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
Behind the pomp and glitter, each school chooses an annual theme, often linked to Afro-Brazilian heritage, social or political commentary, mythology and environmental issues.
From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026
Instead of incessant strobes and Charli clad in a slinky skirt, performing solo with no choreography, Johannes proposes backup dancers, green glitter, high wires and harnesses.
From Salon • Feb. 8, 2026
Accessories—anything from shoelace charms to glitter freckles to decor for your decor—give consumers ways to update their look and express themselves at a fraction of the cost.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 23, 2025
There's my mom, the queen of the starfish, existing in a tornado of glitter that poisons anything else it touches.
From "Starfish" by Akemi Dawn Bowman
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.
