twinkling

[ twing-kling ]
/ ˈtwɪŋ klɪŋ /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR twinkling ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an act of shining with intermittent gleams of light.
the time required for a wink; an instant.
Archaic. winking; a wink.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.
a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.
urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of twinkling

Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at twinkle, -ing1

OTHER WORDS FROM twinkling

un·twin·kling, adjective

Words nearby twinkling

twining, twinjet, twink, twink out, twinkle, twinkling, twinleaf, twinned, twinning, twins, twinset

Definition for twinkling (2 of 2)

twinkle
[ twing-kuh l ]
/ ˈtwɪŋ kəl /

verb (used without object), twin·kled, twin·kling.

verb (used with object), twin·kled, twin·kling.

to emit (light) in intermittent gleams or flashes.
Archaic. to wink (the eyes or eyelids).

noun

Origin of twinkle

before 900; Middle English twinklen (v.), Old English twinclian; see twink, -le

OTHER WORDS FROM twinkle

twin·kler, nounun·twin·kled, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to twinkling

bright, flashing, gleaming, glimmering, glistening, shimmering, shining, instant, flash, moment, blink, second, shake, fire, scintillation, twinkle, chatoyant, scintillating

Example sentences from the Web for twinkling

British Dictionary definitions for twinkling (1 of 2)

twinkling

twink (twɪŋk)

/ (ˈtwɪŋklɪŋ) /

noun

a very short time; instant; momentAlso called: twinkling of an eye

British Dictionary definitions for twinkling (2 of 2)

twinkle
/ (ˈtwɪŋkəl) /

verb (mainly intr)

to emit or reflect light in a flickering manner; shine brightly and intermittently; sparkletwinkling stars
(of the eyes) to sparkle, esp with amusement or delight
rare to move about quickly
(also tr) rare to wink (the eyes); blink

noun

Derived forms of twinkle

twinkler, nountwinkly, adjective

Word Origin for twinkle

Old English twinclian; related to Middle High German zwinken to blink
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

Idioms and Phrases with twinkling

twinkling

see in the twinkling of an eye.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.