sparkling
Americanadjective
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shining with flashing points or gleams of reflected light, as the ocean or a faceted gemstone.
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(of liquids) effervescent; carbonated; fizzy.
sparkling water.
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brilliant, lively, or vivacious.
sparkling conversation.
Etymology
Origin of sparkling
First recorded in 1350–1400; sparkl(e) ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )
Explanation
Something that's sparkling shines or glints with many little lights. You might say that the starry night sky is sparkling. You can describe someone's eyes as sparkling, if they twinkle with light, or admire the sparkling lights on your friend's Christmas tree. Another way to use the adjective sparkling is to describe a carbonated beverage, like sparkling wine or sparkling cider. Any fizzy, bubbly drink is sparkling. People have used sparkling to describe wine and eyes since the fifteenth century, and it comes from the Old English spearca, "glowing or fiery particle thrown off."
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.
But, he said, "we got up and, with these 10 people, we set about making the sparkling wine".
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
Prolific costume designer Bob Mackie, whose dynamic sparkling and fringed creations dressed pop culture superstars such as Cher, Diana Ross, Dolly Parton, Beyoncé and Miley Cyrus, has died.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
The 58-year-old window cleaner from Bolton, in Greater Manchester, is the proud owner of a sparkling new set of "Tirana teeth".
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
It is, in fact, partially responsible for the fact that my little collection of grainy and yellow mustards made it into the refrigerator before the sparkling water did.
From Salon ● Sep. 7, 2026
I never knew the night sky could be so amazing—trillions of blinking, sparkling, spinning lights in a velvet-black sky.
From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
