shimmer

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈʃɪm.ɚ/ UK /ˈʃɪm.ə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like simmer /s/ vs /ʃ/

noun verb Freq #28436

Meanings

1

verb
To shine with a soft, trembling, or flickering light.

The beech leaves shimmered in the moonlight.
2

noun
A soft, trembling, or faint gleam of light.

There was a beautiful shimmer of colour on the bird's feathers.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to shine with a soft,... glimmer glisten sparkle twinkle

2 noun · a soft, trembling, or faint... glimmer

Word family

Forms shimmeredshimmeringshimmers

Derived forms ashimmershimmerershimmery

Etymology

From Middle English schimeren, from Old English sċymrian, sċimrian, sċimerian, from Proto-Germanic *skimarōną. Cognate with Dutch schemeren, German schimmern.

schimeren Middle English sċymrian Old English *skimarōną Proto-Germanic

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Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

# shimmer

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** ˈʃɪm.ɚ
**IPA (UK):** ˈʃɪm.ə(ɹ)
**Frequency rank:** 28436

## Meanings
1. To shine with a soft, trembling, or flickering light.
2. A soft, trembling, or faint gleam of light.

## Examples
- The beech leaves shimmered in the moonlight.
- There was a beautiful shimmer of colour on the bird's feathers.

## Derived Forms
- ashimmer
- shimmerer
- shimmery

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: schimeren
- Root: sċymrian
- Root: *skimarōną

## Etymology
From Middle English schimeren, from Old English sċymrian, sċimrian, sċimerian, from Proto-Germanic *skimarōną. Cognate with Dutch schemeren, German schimmern.

## AI Etymology
Shimmer is from Middle English schimeren, from Old English sċymrian, sċimrian, sċimerian, from Proto-Germanic *skimarōną. Cognate with Dutch schemeren, German schimmern. Important recorded forms include schimeren (Middle English), sċymrian (Old English), and *skimarōną (Proto-Germanic). Current senses include to shine with a soft, trembling, or flickering light and a soft, trembling, or faint gleam of light. The wider family includes derived forms such as ashimmer, shimmerer, and shimmery.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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