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twinkle

Syllabification: (twin·kle)
Pronunciation: /ˈtwiNGkəl/
Translate twinkle | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of twinkle

verb

[no object]
  • (of a star or light, or a shiny object) shine with a gleam that varies repeatedly between bright and faint:the lights twinkled in the distance (as adjective twinkling)twinkling harbor lights
  • (of a person’s eyes) sparkle, especially with amusement.
  • smile so that one’s eyes sparkle:“Aha!” he said, twinkling at her (as adjective twinkling)a twinkling smile
  • (of a person’s feet) move lightly and rapidly:his sandaled feet twinkled over the ground

noun

  • a sparkle or gleam in a person’s eyes.
  • a light that appears continually to grow brighter and fainter:the distant twinkle of the lights

Phrases

in a twinkling (or the twinkling of an eye)

in an instant; very quickly.

Derivatives

twinkler

Pronunciation: /-k(ə)lər/
noun

twinkly

Pronunciation: /-k(ə)lē/
adjective

Origin:

Old English twinclian (verb), of Germanic origin

twinkle in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of twinkle in the British & World English dictionary
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