nictitate
[nik-ti-teyt]
verb (used without object), nic·ti·tat·ed, nic·ti·tat·ing.
to wink.
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
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for nictitate
bat, flicker, twinkle, sparkle, flash, shimmer, wink, glimmer, scintillate, nictate, glitter, flutter, squintnictitate
nictate (ˈnɪkteɪt)
verb
Word Origin for nictitate
C19: from Medieval Latin nictitāre to wink repeatedly, from Latin nictāre to wink, from nicere to beckon
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper