twinkle

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To shine with a flickering, unsteady light; to glimmer.

   We could see the lights of the village twinkling in the distance.

2. 2
   noun

   A small sparkle or flicker of light.

   The first star appeared as a tiny twinkle in the evening sky.

3. 3
   noun

   A look of brightness or delight in someone's eyes.

   He was a jolly man with a twinkle in his eye.

From Middle English twinclen, twynclen, from Old English twinclian (“to twinkle”), equivalent to twink (“to wink; blink; twinkle”) + -le (frequentative suffix). Compare German zwinkern (“to wink; twinkle”).

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