scintillate

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈsɪntəleɪt/ UK /ˈsɪntɪleɪt/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to sparkle or flash; to be brilliantly clever or animated

The diamonds scintillated under the gallery lights.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to sparkle or flash; to be... sparkle glitter twinkle glisten gleam flash shimmer

Opposites

dull dim

Word family

Forms scintillating

Derived forms scintillationscintillatingscintillator

Related forms scintilla

Simplified etymology

Scintillate, recorded from the early 17th century, comes from Latin scintilla, meaning “a spark.” The same Latin word is the source of tinsel.

Etymology

From Latin scintillare ('to sparkle, flash'), from scintilla ('a spark').

scintillare Latin scintilla Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# scintillate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈsɪntəleɪt/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈsɪntɪleɪt/

## Meanings
1. to sparkle or flash; to be brilliantly clever or animated

## Examples
- The diamonds scintillated under the gallery lights.

## Synonyms
- sparkle
- glitter
- twinkle
- glisten
- gleam
- flash
- shimmer

## Antonyms
- dull
- dim

## Derived Forms
- scintillation
- scintillating
- scintillator

## Related Forms
- scintilla

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: scintillare
- Root: scintilla

## Etymology
From Latin scintillare ('to sparkle, flash'), from scintilla ('a spark').

## AI Etymology
Scintillate comes from Latin scintillare ('to sparkle, flash'), from scintilla ('a spark'). The form is best read as a historical transfer or inheritance, with its older language material carrying the main semantic load. As a verb, it means "to sparkle or flash; to be brilliantly clever or animated", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Latin scintillare and Latin scintilla. Derivative forms include scintillation, scintillating, scintillator; related words include scintilla.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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