Standard Lemma guide

nictate

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK, US: /nɪkˈteɪt/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To wink or blink; (of certain animals) to close the nictating membrane.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

briefly shut the eyes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The TV announcer never seems to blink

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: blink, wink, nictitate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: act involuntarily, act reflexively

Narrower terms: palpebrate, bat, flutter

History

Etymology

First attested in 1755; borrowed from Latin nictātus, perfect passive participle of nictō (“to wink, blink”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: мигам (migam) — to wink or blink
  • Finnish: räpyttää — to wink or blink
  • Finnish: (momentane) räpäyttää — to wink or blink
  • Finnish: räpytellä — to wink or blink
  • Russian: мига́ть (migátʹ) — to wink or blink
  • Russian: морга́ть (morgátʹ) — to wink or blink