Glimmer Meaning
/ˈɡlɪməː/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA faint light; a dim glow.
nounA flash of light.
Sentence Examples
There was still a glimmer of hope left.
There was a glimmer of light from the dark window.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
In the dark cave, they saw a faint ____ of light from the distant entrance.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
As the sun began to rise, I could see a faint ____ of light appearing on the distant eastern horizon.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English glimeren, glemeren (“to glimmer”), equivalent to glim (“to shine”) + -er (frequentative suffix). Cognate with German Low German glimmern (“to glimmer”), German glimmern (“to glimmer”), Danish glimre (“to glimmer”), Swedish glimra (“to glimmer”). Doublet of glimpse. Sense 5 was coined in the 2020s in analogy to trigger.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"After all, Harmony Korine has no more than a glimmer of talent."
— 1997, David Denby, “Clawless”, in New York Magazine, volume 30, number 42, page 52:
"The west yet glimmers with some streaks of day."
— c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iii]:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
In the dark cave, they saw a faint ____ of light from the distant entrance.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
As the sun began to rise, I could see a faint ____ of light appearing on the distant eastern horizon.