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Scintillate
To emit quick flashes of light; to sparkle brightly; or, figuratively, to be brilliantly lively in intellect or wit.
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Imagine This
Imagine a chandelier in a dark room suddenly releasing a rapid sequence of bright sparks; each flash outshines the last, making the entire room seem to glow with liveliness.
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Sounds Like
SIN-tih-layt
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Looks Like
resembles scintilla (a tiny spark) and conveys the idea of spark-like brightness
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Remember This
Originates from Latin scintillare 'to flash, sparkle', from scintilla 'spark'. Related forms include scintillation and scintillating.
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Other Forms
scintillatingadjective
scintillantadjective
scintillationnoun
scintillatedverb
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Connect With
sparkle, glitter, shine, twinkle, dazzle
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Note
Use scintillate for bright flashes of light or for sparkling wit. Commonly used with lights, eyes, or clever speech (scintillating remarks). Be careful not to confuse with similar-sounding but unrelated terms.
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Study Deeper
Examples
- The chandelier scintillates with a hundred tiny lights.
- Her scintillating remarks kept the audience spellbound.
Synonyms
sparkleglittertwinkleshinedazzle
Antonyms
dimdullfade
Etymology
From Latin scintillare 'to flash or sparkle', from scintilla 'a spark'.
Mnemonic
Spark Till Late: Scintillate means to emit sparks or bright light, as if a spark lasts until late into the night.
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Dazzle
verbTo blind or temporarily stun someone with brilliant light; to impress or amaze greatly with brilliance or skill.
Archaic
adjectiveBelonging to an earlier time; very old-fashioned or outdated; no longer in general use.
Deference
nounThe act of submitting to the opinions or wishes of another; respectful yielding.
Similar Words
Related words and words with the same part of speech.
Dazzle
verbTo blind or temporarily stun someone with brilliant light; to impress or amaze greatly with brilliance or skill.
Abandon
verbTo give up completely, to desert or leave behind, or to relinquish a claim, plan, or responsibility.
Abate
verbTo decrease in amount or intensity; to reduce or end something.
Abolish
verbTo formally end or repeal a system, practice, or institution; to officially put an end to something established.
Abridge
verbTo shorten (a text, speech, or other work) by omitting parts; to condense.
Abscond
verbTo depart secretly or flee, especially to avoid detection or arrest.
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