shimmer
- To shine with a soft, gentle light that seems to flicker or move slightly.
In a sentence
- The surface of the lake shimmered like silver in the early morning sunlight.
- Her sequined dress shimmered under the stage lights as she walked out to perform.
Usage note. 'Shimmer' suggests a gentle, wavering light rather than a sharp or steady brightness — use it when you want to create a dreamy or delicate visual image.
Where it comes from
English shimmer · entered English Old English
From Old English 'scimerian,' meaning to gleam or glimmer faintly, related to Old English 'scīma,' meaning brightness or radiance. The word belongs to a Germanic family of words about soft light, related to similar words in Middle Low German and Old Norse. It has been used in English since the Old English period and survived into Modern English largely unchanged in meaning.