English Meaning & Definitions
A momentary or partial view or sight of something.
- “Fans caught a fleeting glimpse of the pop star as her limousine sped past.”
- “She caught a quick glimpse of herself in the darkened window.”
A brief, faint impression or understanding of a concept or situation.
- “The newly discovered letters offer a fascinating glimpse into the author's private life.”
- “The initial experiment provided a glimpse of potential future breakthroughs.”
To see or catch sight of something briefly or partially.
- “He glimpsed a shadow moving quietly through the trees.”
- “Through the heavy fog, the sailors glimpsed the lighthouse beacon.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “glimpse”.
Originating in Middle English around the late 14th century as 'glymsen' (meaning 'to shine faintly' or 'glimmer'), the word is connected to Middle High German 'glimsen' and shares Proto-Germanic roots with 'gleam' and 'glimmer'. Over time, the meaning shifted from a faint light shining briefly to catching a brief, partial sight of something.
Think of GLIMPSE as catching a GLImmer of something in a SIMPle second.
Frequently Asked Questions About “glimpse”
1. What is the meaning of “glimpse” in English?
In English, glimpse (noun) is defined as: “A momentary or partial view or sight of something.”.
2. How do you use “glimpse” in a sentence?
“Fans caught a fleeting glimpse of the pop star as her limousine sped past.”
3. What are English synonyms of “glimpse”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “glimpse”?
Originating in Middle English around the late 14th century as 'glymsen' (meaning 'to shine faintly' or 'glimmer'), the word is connected to Middle High German 'glimsen' and shares Proto-Germanic roots with 'gleam' and 'glimmer'. Over time, the meaning shifted from a faint light shining briefly to catching a brief, partial sight of something.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.