shimmer (v.)
Middle English shimeren "to shine with a veiled, tremulous light, glisten," from late Old English scimerian "to glitter, shimmer, glisten, shine," related to (perhaps a frequentative of) scimian "to shine" (Middle English shimen), from Proto-Germanic *skim- (source also of Swedish skimra, Dutch schemeren "to glitter," German schimmern), from PIE root *skai- "to gleam, to shine" (see shine (v.). With Germanic verbal suffix indicating repeated or diminutive action (see -er (4)). Related: Shimmered; shimmering.
shimmer (n.)
"a faint and tremulous light," 1821, from shimmer (v.). The older noun was shimmering "a gleam, a shining" (late 14c.).
updated on January 31, 2023
Dictionary entries near shimmer
shillelagh
shilling
shilly-shally
Shiloh
shim
shimmer
shimmy
shin
Shin Bet
shindig
shine