glitten

verb /ˈɡlɪtn̩/

1. to glisten, to reflect, to shimmer.

   archaic

   At one of the river landings I passed, there was something white glittening in the moonlight.

Where it comes from

From Middle English glitenen, from Old English glitnian, perhaps from Proto-Germanic *glitinōną, from a root cognate with Old Norse glitra + Proto-Germanic *-inōną. Ultimately from *ǵʰel- (“to shine, shimmer, glow”). Related to Old English glisnian (“to glisten”), Old English glīdan (“to glide”). Largely displaced by glitter.

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry glitten (CC BY-SA 4.0).

← glimeglitterance →

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