Word
glint
US/ˈɡɫɪnt/
UK/ɡlˈɪnt/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a small, quick flash of light, like sun shining off glass or water.
n. a brief flash or sparkle of light, especially reflected from a small or moving surface. Often implies momentary brightness against a darker background.
Examples
“I see a glint of sun on the river.”
“She notices a glint of light on the kitchen knife and turns it away from the window.”
“Despite his calm voice, a glint of anger in his eyes told her that the negotiation had reached its limit.”
Examples
simple
“I see a glint of sun on the river.”
contextual
“She notices a glint of light on the kitchen knife and turns it away from the window.”
complex
“Despite his calm voice, a glint of anger in his eyes told her that the negotiation had reached its limit.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “glint” in context.
Verb
01. catch glint
“I caught a glint of light on the water.”
verb + noun
02. glint appears
“A glint appears on the lake when the sun comes out.”
noun + verb
03. glint fades
“The glint fades quickly as clouds cover the sun.”
noun + verb
04. glint flashes
“A glint flashes across the window every morning.”
noun + verb
Adjective
05. bright glint
“We saw a bright glint of the sea through the trees.”
adj + noun
06. faint glint
“There was a faint glint on the horizon as the sun rose.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. glint of glass
“We saw the glint of glass among the rocks.”
noun + prep + noun
08. glint of light
“A glint of light from the mirror caught my eye.”
noun + prep + noun
09. glint of sun
“A glint of sun on the sea made us stop to look.”
noun + prep + noun
10. a bright glint of sun
“A bright glint of sun reflected off the car window.”
11. a sudden glint of glass
“We saw a sudden glint of glass in the sand.”
12. catch a glint of light
“We caught a glint of light on the lake at dawn.”
Usage
Commonly followed by 'of' ('a glint of light').
Real-World Examples
“Garnets can be found throughout the world, and in some places — when they are cut and polished just right — they can reveal the glint of a star inside.” “The first sweet surprise was on the Valentino runway Wednesday, as the models with tiny tiaras glinting in their hair walked a parquet floor patterned with flowers.” Etymology
15th century. Borrowed from Scots glint, from Middle English glenten (“to shine, gleam; flash”), probably from Old Norse glenta, from Proto-Germanic glantijaną, causitive of Proto-Germanic glintaną (“to gleam, shine”), from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰley- (“to shine”). Cognate with Danish glente, Swedish glänta, Norwegian Nynorsk gletta (“to peep, look”), Middle High German glinzen; compare also Swedish glinta (“to slip, slide, gleam, shine”), Swedish glimt (“flash, glint, glimpse”), Norwegian Nynorsk glanta, gletta (“to glide, slip”). Reintroduced into literary English by Robert Burns.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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