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sparkle

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sparkle¹

  • /ˈspɑː.kəl/ UK
  • /ˈspɑɹ.kəl/ US

Sounds like SPARQL · Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)kəl

Where it comes from

From Middle English sparkel, sparkle, sparcle, equivalent to spark + -le (diminutive suffix). In some modern uses deverbal from etymology 2 below.

noun sparkles

  1. countable, uncountable A little spark; a scintillation. As sparckles from the Anduile vse to fly, / When heauie hammers on the wedge are swaid
  2. countable, uncountable Brilliance; luster. the sparkle of a diamond
  3. countable, uncountable Liveliness; vivacity. the sparkle of his conversation over dinner
  4. countable, uncountable The quality of being sparkling or fizzy; effervescence.

sparkle²

  • /ˈspɑː.kəl/ UK
  • /ˈspɑɹ.kəl/ US

Sounds like SPARQL · Rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)kəl

Where it comes from

From Middle English sparklen, sperclen, equivalent to spark + -le (frequentative verb). Cognate with West Frisian sparkelje (“to sparkle”), Dutch sparkelen (“to sparkle”).

verb sparkles · sparkling · sparkled · sparckle · sparcle

  1. intransitive To emit sparks; to throw off ignited or incandescent particles. The wood was sparkling in the bonfire.
  2. broadly To shine as if throwing off sparks; to emit flashes of light; to scintillate; to twinkle. The stars sparkle in the sky.
  3. intransitive To manifest itself by, or as if by, emitting sparks; to glisten; to flash. I see bright honour sparkle through your eyes.

    Similar: shine, glisten, scintillate, radiate, coruscate, glitter, twinkle

  4. intransitive To emit little bubbles, as certain kinds of liquors; to effervesce. sparkling wine
  5. transitive To emit in the form or likeness of sparks. That the bright glister of their beames cleare / Did sparckle forth great light, and glorious did appeare.
  6. obsolete, transitive To disperse.
  7. obsolete, transitive To scatter on or over.

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: scintillation, glitter, coruscate, glisten, glister, spark, fizz, effervesce, froth, foam, light, gloss, glossy, brilliant, twinkle, shine

Translations

Every language

noun scintillation

Españoldestello, chispa
日本語閃耀 sen'yō, 閃爍 senshaku
中文閃耀 /闪耀 shǎnyào, 閃爍 /闪烁 shǎnshuò
हिन्दीचमक camak
Portuguêscintilação
Italianoscintillio, sfavillio
Românăscânteie
Русскийи́скорка ískorka

noun brilliance

Españolbrillo, lustre
日本語光輝 kōki
中文光輝 /光辉 guānghuī, 光彩 guāngcǎi
Portuguêsbrilho
DeutschFunkeln, Glitzern
Italianolustro, splendore
Русскийсверка́ние sverkánije

verb to emit sparks

हिन्दीजगमगाना jagamgānā
Portuguêsfaiscar, centelhar, fagulhar
Deutschfunkeln
Românăscânteia
Русскийискри́ться iskrítʹsja

verb to shine as if throwing off sparks; scintillate

Españolcintilar, escintilar
हिन्दीजगमगाना jagamgānā
Portuguêscintilar, centelhar
Françaisscintiller
Deutschfunkeln

verb to manifest as if by emitting sparks; glisten

Françaisluire

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Cite this
MLA

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

APA

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

Chicago

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

BibTeX
@misc{sparkle_2026,
  title = {sparkle},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/sparkle},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}