scintillate

[ sin-tl-eyt ]

/ ˈsɪn tlˌeɪt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR scintillate ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), scin·til·lat·ed, scin·til·lat·ing.

to emit sparks.

to sparkle; flash: a mind that scintillates with brilliance.

to twinkle, as the stars.

Electronics. (of a spot of light or image on a radar display) to shift rapidly around a mean position.

Physics.

(of the amplitude, phase, or polarization of an electromagnetic wave) to fluctuate in a random manner.
(of an energetic photon or particle) to produce a flash of light in a phosphor by striking it.

verb (used with object), scin·til·lat·ed, scin·til·lat·ing.

to emit as sparks; flash forth.

Words nearby scintillate

scintigraph, scintigraphy, scintilla, scintillant, scintillascope, scintillate, scintillating, scintillating scotoma, scintillation, scintillation counter, scintillation spectrometer

Origin of scintillate

First recorded in 1615–25, scintillate is from the Latin word scintillātus (past participle of scintillāre to send out sparks, flash). See scintilla, -ate¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for scintillate

The expiring heat of the departed sun made them scintillate and shimmer in a soft and undulating light.
Eleven Possible Cases|Frank R. Stockton
They did not scintillate, but rather glistened with a steady greenish lustre.
The Scalp Hunters|Mayne Reid
Merely to look at you would make the dullest set of people in London wake up and scintillate.
In the Wilderness|Robert Hichens
It is hardly noticeable save for the stars α and β of third magnitude, which scintillate on its forehead.
Astronomy for Amateurs|Camille Flammarion

A man with savoir faire may scintillate in a crowd, but it takes a "bashful man" to shine in a dim cozy corner.
A Guide to Men|Helen Rowland

British Dictionary definitions for scintillate

scintillate

/ (ˈsɪntɪˌleɪt) /

verb (mainly intr)

(also tr) to give off (sparks); sparkle; twinkle

to be animated or brilliant

physics to give off flashes of light as a result of the impact of particles or photons

Derived forms of scintillate

scintillant, adjectivescintillantly, adverb

Word Origin for scintillate

C17: from Latin scintillāre, from scintilla a spark

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

scintillate

verb (used without object), scin·til·lat·ed, scin·til·lat·ing.

verb (used with object), scin·til·lat·ed, scin·til·lat·ing.

Words related to scintillate

Words nearby scintillate

Origin of scintillate

Examples from the Web for scintillate

British Dictionary definitions for scintillate

verb (mainly intr)

Derived forms of scintillate

Word Origin for scintillate