NYT Dictionary

GLINT

/ɡlɪnt/
NounAdjectiveVerbGLINTGrade 6

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2023, 2024, 2025

Meaning

A short flash of light, usually when reflected off a shiny surface.

Etymology

Origin: Middle English

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.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

flickersparkglitterglistengleamshineglancepeekafterglowbeam

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 7 recorded puzzles:

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