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.
It’s New Year’s Eve glitter, minus the frostbite.
She would just be free and wear glitter on her face and have feathers in her hair and her music was very unapologetically brash and tongue-in-cheek with the lyrics.
From Los Angeles Times
After a glittering playing career with Liverpool, he went on to manage several leading clubs across Europe including Real Madrid, Real Sociedad and Besiktas.
From BBC
Dahl’s wit may be mostly used for emotional vivisection, but it still glitters.
They glittered in gold platform heels, black and tan powersuits, and fur-lined wool dresses for the winter chill lingering in Washington.
From Salon
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.