glisten

[ glis-uhn ]
/ ˈglɪs ən /

verb (used without object)

to reflect a sparkling light or a faint intermittent glow; shine lustrously.

noun

a glistening; sparkle.

Origin of glisten

before 1000; Middle English glis(t)nen (v.), Old English glisnian, derivative of glisian to glitter; see -en1

SYNONYMS FOR glisten

1 glimmer, gleam, glitter. Glisten, shimmer, sparkle refer to different ways in which light is reflected from surfaces. Glisten refers to a lustrous light, as from something sleek or wet, or it may refer to myriads of tiny gleams reflected from small surfaces: Wet fur glistens. Snow glistens in the sunlight. Shimmer refers to the changing play of light on a (generally moving) surface, as of water or silk: Moonbeams shimmer on water. Silk shimmers in a high light. To sparkle is to give off sparks or small ignited particles, or to send forth small but brilliant gleams, sometimes by reflection: A diamond sparkles with numerous points of light.

OTHER WORDS FROM glisten

glis·ten·ing·ly, adverb un·glis·ten·ing, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for glisten

British Dictionary definitions for glisten

glisten
/ (ˈɡlɪsən) /

verb (intr)

(of a wet or glossy surface) to gleam by reflecting light wet leaves glisten in the sunlight
(of light) to reflect with brightness the sunlight glistens on wet leaves

noun

rare a gleam or gloss

Derived forms of glisten

glisteningly, adverb

Word Origin for glisten

Old English glisnian; related to glisian to glitter, Middle High German glistern