I. ˈglid.ə(r), -itə- verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English gliteren, gleteren, from Old Norse glitra; akin to Old English glitenian to glitter, Old High German glīzan to shine, Old Norse glita to glitter, Gothic glitmunjan to glisten, Greek chlidē luxury, effeminacy, Old English geolu yellow — more at yellow
intransitive verb
1. : to shine resplendently usually by reflection with many quick small flashes of brilliant light
a crown of jewels glittered on her head
a landscape glittering with sun and rain — Ambrose Bierce
or with a hard bright often metallic luster made up of many small scattered rapidly appearing and disappearing points of light
dragonflies darting about and glittering iridescently in the bright sunlight
the horses tossed their heads, their well-oiled hooves glittering as they shifted their feet nervously — Dorothy C. Fisher
the sun of the late summer glittered on the gold cups — Edith Sitwell
or with a dazzling brilliance marked by stabbing rays of light
shields and swords polished like mirrors glittered in the morning sun
sequins glittering under the spotlights
and often with a showy or gaudy effect
the tree was lavishly hung with tinsel that quivered and glittered
: sparkle with twinkling points of light
myriads of stars that glittered in the dark and frigid lonesomeness of the sky
far off they could see the lights of the city glittering in the night
: shine with a hard cold glassy brilliance marked by quick intermittent rapidly successive points of intense light
her little eyes glittered cruelly — Haldane Macfall
2. : to be brilliantly or compellingly attractive usually in a superficial way : make a brilliant appearance or impression
the possibility of fame in the theater glittered before them
transitive verb
1. : to cause to glitter
brilliant stars glittering the sky
2. : to trim, sprinkle, or cover with something that glitters
a belt that was glittered with rhinestones
II. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : glittering brilliancy
a great glitter of sunlight on the blue water — Ira Wolfert
: glittering showiness or gaudiness
the glitter of opening night at the opera
the glitter of costume jewelry
: glittering brightness
the glitter of icicles
the unnerving glitter of a glass eye — Weston La Barre
b. : glittering attractiveness
the glitter of a career in the foreign service
2. : small glittering objects (as sequins, rhinestones) or tiny glittering bits (as of tinsel, glass) used for ornamentation
a neckline trimmed with glitter
or decoration
at the base of the Christmas tree was a snowy sheet sprinkled with glitter