Twinkle Meaning
/ˈtwɪŋ.kəl/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo shine with a flickering light; to glimmer.
verbTo be bright with delight.
Sentence Examples
There was a happy twinkle in her eyes.
Planets are easy to identify because they don't twinkle like stars do.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The stars began to ____ in the dark sky, looking like tiny lights.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I could see a slight ____ in her eyes when she told me about her exciting plans for the summer holiday today.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English twinclen, twynclen, from Old English twinclian (“to twinkle”), equivalent to twink (“to wink; blink; twinkle”) + -le (frequentative suffix). Compare German zwinkern (“to wink; twinkle”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"These stars do not twinkle when viewed through telescopes that have large apertures."
— 1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “(please specify |book=1 to 3)”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC:
"The western sky twinkled with stars."
— 1814 July 7, [Walter Scott], Waverley; or, ’Tis Sixty Years Since. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), Edinburgh: […] James Ballantyne and Co. for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, →OCLC:
"As the train rumbled slowly over the Forth Bridge, the western sky was aflame with a particularly gorgeous sunset, and lights were twinkling from the small craft riding at anchor on the calm waters of the firth."
— 1950 January, Arthur F. Beckenham, “With British Railways to the Far North”, in Railway Magazine, page 8:
"She smiled and gave a little nod and twinkled her eyes[…]"
— 1922, Mrs. Juliet M. Hueffer Soskice, Chapters from Childhood: Reminiscences of an Artist's Granddaughter, page 165:
"The Owl Fell a Moping and Twinkling."
— 1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The stars began to ____ in the dark sky, looking like tiny lights.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I could see a slight ____ in her eyes when she told me about her exciting plans for the summer holiday today.