noun
Meaning 1
A flash of light; a spark.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
scintillation
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.
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Received-Pronunciation: /ˌsɪn.tɪˈleɪ.ʃən/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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General-American: /ˌsɪn.təˈleɪ.ʃən/
noun
Meaning 2
The twinkling of a star or other celestial body caused by turbulence in the Earth's atmosphere.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Topics: astronomy, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 3
The flash of light produced by something (especially a phosphor) when it absorbs ionizing radiation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, uncountable
Qualifier: nuclear physics
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
A brief expression that is amusing or clever; witticism.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: countable, figuratively, uncountable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 5
the twinkling of the stars caused when changes in the density of the earth's atmosphere produce uneven refraction of starlight
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: fluctuation, wavering
noun
Meaning 6
the quality of shining with a bright reflected light
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: glitter, glister, glisten, sparkle
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: brightness
noun
Meaning 7
a brilliant display of wit
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: brilliance, genius
noun
Meaning 8
a rapid change in brightness; a brief spark or flash
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: twinkle, sparkling
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change, alteration, modification
noun
Meaning 9
(physics) a flash of light that is produced in a phosphor when it absorbs a photon or ionizing particle
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: light, visible light, visible radiation
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English scintillate Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin -ātiōlbor. Old French -ationbor. Middle English -acioun English -ation English -ion English scintillation From scintillate + -ion.
Across languages
Translations
4 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Catalan: escintil·lació — flash of light
- French: scintillation — flash of light
- Catalan: escintil·lació — (astronomy) twinkling of a star
- French: scintillation — (astronomy) twinkling of a star
Real reading context