gleam — a faint or brief light, especially one reflected from something
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a faint or brief light, especially one reflected from something
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɡliːm/
Example Sentences
- The student's eyes gleamed when the teacher announced there would be no homework today.
- The vampire's teeth gleamed menacingly in the moonlight, but turned out to be just expensive dental work.
- A gleam of understanding finally crossed his face after staring at the math problem for two hours.
gleam
NOUN[/ɡliːm/]
a faint or brief light, especially one reflected from something
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Gleam derives from Middle English 'glemen', which evolved from Old English 'glǣm' meaning 'shining light' or 'brightness'. The word originates from a common Germanic root shared across the Germanic language family, with cognates in related languages.
Breakdown
The word consists of the Old English root 'glǣm' (light, brightness), which underwent phonetic evolution through Middle English 'glemen' to the modern form 'gleam'. No distinct morphemes; the word is a simple inherited root.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The student's eyes gleamed when the teacher announced there would be no homework today.”
“The vampire's teeth gleamed menacingly in the moonlight, but turned out to be just expensive dental work.”
“A gleam of understanding finally crossed his face after staring at the math problem for two hours.”
“The kitchen knives gleamed so brightly that the chef needed sunglasses to cook.”
📚Related Words
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