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flicker

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flicker¹

  • /ˈflɪkə/ UK
  • /ˈflɪkɚ/ US

Sounds like Flickr · Rhymes with -ɪkə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

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”).

noun flickers

  1. countable, uncountable An unsteady flash of light. the flicker of the dying candle
  2. countable, figuratively, uncountable A short moment. a flicker of emotion

verb flickers · flickering · flickered

  1. intransitive To burn or shine unsteadily, or with a wavering light. The shadows flicker to and fro.
  2. intransitive To keep going on and off; to appear and disappear for short moments; to flutter. A strong desire to smash up everything in the room kept flickering in his head.
  3. ambitransitive To flutter or flap. And flickering on her nest made short essays to sing.

flicker²

  • /ˈflɪkə/ UK
  • /ˈflɪkɚ/ US

Sounds like Flickr · Rhymes with -ɪkə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

1808, American English, probably echoic of the bird's call, or from the white spotted plumage which appears to flicker. It is also true that the bird vigorously flicks away treebark, woodchips, and ground detritus while feeding, which may possibly explain the name.

noun flickers

  1. US Any of certain small woodpeckers, especially of the genus Colaptes.

flicker³

  • /ˈflɪkə/ UK
  • /ˈflɪkɚ/ US

Sounds like Flickr · Rhymes with -ɪkə(ɹ)

noun flickers

  1. One who flicks.
  2. abbreviation, colloquial, ellipsis Ellipsis of channel flicker (“remote control”).

Flicker⁴

Rhymes with -ɪkə(ɹ)

proper noun Flickers

  1. A surname.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: glint, spark, flutter, flitter, flick, waver, quiver, glimmer, gleam, flash, blinking, blink, wink, glow, fluctuate, flashing

Translations

Every language

noun an unsteady flash of light

Españoltitileo, titilación, centelleo
Portuguêsbruxuleio
Françaispapillotement, scintillement
DeutschFlackern, Flimmern
Italianoguizzo, tremolio
Românălicăr, scânteiere, licărire, sclipire
Русскиймерца́ние mercánije, вспы́шка vspýška
العربيةوَمِيض wamīḍ, وَمْضَة wamḍa

noun a short moment

Portuguêsinstante
Italianofremito
Românăclipă
Русскиймгнове́ние mgnovénije, миг mig
العربيةطَرْفَة ṭarfa, وَمْضَة wamḍa

verb to burn or shine unsteadily

Españoltitilar, centellear
日本語揺らめく yurameku
中文閃爍 /闪烁 shǎnshuò, 搖曳 /摇曳 yáoyè
Portuguêstremular, bruxulear
Françaisvaciller, papilloter
Deutschflackern, flimmern
Italianoguizzare, tremolare
Românălicări, pâlpâi
Русскиймерца́ть mercátʹ
العربيةرَفْرَفَ rafrafa, خفَقَ, يَخْتَلِج yaḵtalij, يَرْتَعِش yartaʕiš

verb to keep going on and off

Españoltitilar, centellear
中文若隱若現 /若隐若现 ruòyǐnruòxiàn, 忽隱忽現 /忽隐忽现 hūyǐnhūxiàn
Portuguêspiscar
Françaisscintiller
Italianosfarfallare
Русскиймига́ть migátʹ

noun Small woodpecker of the genus Colaptes

DeutschGoldspecht
Русскийдя́тел djátel

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Cite this
MLA

"flicker." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/flicker. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

flicker. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/flicker

Chicago

"flicker." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/flicker.

BibTeX
@misc{flicker_2026,
  title = {flicker},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/flicker},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}