nictitate
[ nik-ti-teyt ]
/ ˈnɪk tɪˌteɪt /
Save This Word!
verb (used without object), nic·ti·tat·ed, nic·ti·tat·ing.
to wink.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON “THEIR,” “THERE,” AND “THEY’RE”
Are you aware how often people swap around “their,” “there,” and “they’re”? Prove you have more than a fair grasp over these commonly confused words.
Question 1 of 7
Which one of these commonly confused words can act as an adverb or a pronoun?
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, adjectiveWords nearby nictitate
nicotinize, Nicotrol, Nicoya, Nicoya Peninsula, Nictheroy, nictitate, nictitating membrane, nictitation, NICU, Nida, nidal
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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
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