flicker

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) An unsteady flash of light.
2. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) A short moment.

Verb

1. (intransitive) To burn or shine unsteadily, or with a wavering light.
2. (intransitive) To keep going on and off; to appear and disappear for short moments; to flutter.
3. (ambitransitive) To flutter or flap.

Synonyms

twinkle

flash

glimmer

flutter

blink

waver

wink

😉

gleam

quiver

shimmer

wave

👋

flare

sparkle

❇️

flick

sway

tremble

heave

flitter

spark

twinkling

glint

flare up

flap

shake

🫨

glimmering

vibration

flickering

flit

glimpse

scintillate

blaze

woodpecker

yellowhammer

riffle

rock

🪨

roll

scintilla

drift about

luff

litter

shine

shiver

light

gutter

glitter

swing

swinging

thrill

glisten

trembling

Translations

flackern

Colaptes

scintiller

❇️

flakkeren

flimmern

Flimmern

parpadeo

flikkeren

sich schaukeln

wehen

sfavillare

❇️

sich bewegen

palpiter

onduler

schwanken

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈflɪkə/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: flikeren

Inherited from Old English: flicerian

Cognate with Saterland Frisian: flikkerje

Cognate with Western Frisian: flikkerje

Cognate with Dutch: flikkeren

Cognate with Old English: flacor

Cognate with German: flackern

Cognate with Old English: flēoġan

In summary

From Middle English flikeren (“to flutter”), from Old English flicerian, flicorian (“to flutter”), from Proto-West Germanic *flikurōn.
Akin to Saterland Frisian flikkerje (“to flicker”),
West Frisian flikkerje (“to flicker”), Dutch flikkeren (“to flicker, flutter”), German Low German flickern (“to light up, flash, flicker”). Compare Old English flacor (“flickering, fluttering”), German flackern (“to flicker, flutter”), Old English flēogan (“to fly”).