gleam
- A small, bright flash of light that shines for a moment.
- To shine with a soft, steady light.
In a sentence
- She saw a gleam of sunlight through the curtains when she woke up.
- His eyes seemed to gleam with excitement as he unwrapped the gift.
Usage note. As a noun, 'gleam' often suggests a small or distant light; use 'glow' when the light is warmer and more constant.
Where it comes from
English gleam · entered English pre-12th c.
From Old English 'glæm,' meaning brightness or radiance, related to Old High German 'gleimo' (glowworm). It entered English before the 12th century and is part of a family of Germanic words connected to shining and glowing.