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Added 9 October 2026

blink

/ˈblɪŋk/ noun

In Latin: palpebrō, conniveo, nictor Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about blink at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly.

verb

Briefly shut the eyes.
The TV announcer never seems to blink
Keep back by blinking.
blink away tears
Gleam or glow intermittently.
The lights were flashing

Origin

From Middle English blynken, blenken, from Old English *blincan (suggested by causative verb blenċan (“to deceive”); > English blench), from Proto-Germanic *blinkaną, a variant of *blīkaną (“to gleam, shine”). Cognate with Dutch blinken (“to glitter, shine”), German blinken (“to flash, blink”), Danish blinke (“to flash, twinkle, wink, blink”), Swedish blinka (“to flash, blink, twinkle, wink, blink”). Related to blank, blick, blike, bleak.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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