shimmer
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to shine with or reflect a subdued, tremulous light; gleam faintly.
- Synonyms:
- glimmer
-
to appear to quiver or vibrate in faint light or while reflecting heat waves.
noun
-
a subdued, tremulous light or gleam.
-
a quivering or vibrating motion or image as produced by reflecting faint light or heat waves.
verb
noun
Related Words
See glisten.
Other Word Forms
- shimmering adjective
- shimmeringly adverb
- unshimmering adjective
- unshimmeringly adverb
Etymology
Origin of shimmer
First recorded before 1100; Middle English schimeren, s(c)hemeren, Old English scimrian; cognate with Dutch schemeren, German schimmern “to glisten”
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.
Circular Quay, flanked by the shimmering Opera House and magnificent Harbour Bridge, is a place of inspiration.
From BBC
"When we first observed the vents through the ROV cameras, we were stunned by their diversity and beauty -- from shimmering, boiling fluids to thick microbial mats covering the chimneys."
From Science Daily
While speaking to People, Scott revealed that they love “joyful characters, vibrant colors, and no shortage of shimmer.”
From MarketWatch
Tomatoes are optional, but when included, they give the richness a little lift, a shimmer of acidity against the warm, cheesy backdrop.
From Salon
This action inspires lovely, shimmering visuals of delicate luminescence, but Mr. Cameron’s references to becoming one with the environment would make the most earnest hippie folk singer blush.
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.
