nictitate
[ nik-ti-teyt ]
/ ˈnɪk tɪˌteɪt /
verb (used without object), nic·ti·tat·ed, nic·ti·tat·ing.
to wink.
Words nearby nictitate
nicotinism, nicotinize, nicoya, nicoya peninsula, nictheroy, nictitate, nictitating membrane, nictitation, nicu, nid-nod, nida
Also nic·tate.
Origin of nictitate
1815–25; < Medieval Latin nictitātus, past participle of nictitāre, frequentative of Latin nictāre to wink, frequentative of nicere to beckon; see -ate1
OTHER WORDS FROM nictitate
nic·ti·tant, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for nictitate
Derived forms of nictitate
nictitation or nictation, nounWord Origin for nictitate
C19: from Medieval Latin nictitāre to wink repeatedly, from Latin nictāre to wink, from nicere to beckon
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