sparkly

American  

[spahr-klee] / ˈspɑr kli /

adjective

sparklier, sparkliest

1. tending to sparkle; animated; lively.

   a row of sparkly cheerleaders.

2. (of a wine) naturally carbonated; effervescent.

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Etymology

Origin of sparkly

First recorded in 1920–25; sparkle + -y ¹

Explanation

The adjective sparkly is useful for describing an object that glints with light, like a disco ball, or a person whose personality is equally bright and bubbly. A little girl's glittery shoes are sparkly, and so is sunlight flashing on the surface of a lake. When people are described as sparkly, it's usually because they are vivacious and enthusiastic, the life of the party. The word sparkly was first used in the 1920s, from sparkle, which in turn comes from spark. The origin isn't known for sure, but it may be rooted in the Old Norse word sparkr, "sprightly."

Example Sentences

Appropriately wearing a sparkly gold dress and performing to Donna Summer, she scored a staggering 150.20 in her free skate.

From BBC • Feb. 19, 2026

And if you’re in the market for an engagement ring — it’s proposal season, after all — or a sparkly Valentine’s Day gift, then you should, too.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 3, 2026

Last week, Google began rolling out a new sparkly pencil button, called Help Me Write, to standard Gmail accounts in the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 18, 2026

“That just gives it a bit of volume and a bit more interest on the palette, those sparkly bubbles.”

From Salon • Jan. 18, 2026

There was a girl named Patrice who had a sparkly shirt, sparkly fingernails, and sparkly barrettes, too, and said her best friend was Simone.

From "Ida B" by Katherine Hannigan