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Added 9 October 2026

flicker

/ˈflɪkə/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about flicker at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

An unsteady flash of light.
the flicker of the dying candle
A short moment.
a flicker of emotion

verb

To burn or shine unsteadily, or with a wavering light.
To keep going on and off; to appear and disappear for short moments; to flutter.
A strong desire to smash up everything in the room kept flickering in his head.
To flutter or flap.

noun

Any of certain small woodpeckers, especially of the genus Colaptes.

noun

One who flicks.
Ellipsis of channel flicker (“remote control”).

Origin

From Middle English flikeren (“to flutter”), from Old English flicerian, flicorian (“to flutter”), from Proto-West Germanic *flikurōn. Akin to Saterland Frisian flikkerje (“to flicker”), West Frisian flikkerje (“to flicker”), Dutch flikkeren (“to flicker, flutter”), German Low German flickern (“to light up, flash, flicker”). Compare Old English flacor (“flickering, fluttering”), German flackern (“to flicker, flutter”), Old English flēogan (“to fly”).

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

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