glimpse
glimpse Lexical Profile
glimpse Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A momentary, partial, or fleeting view of someone or something.
"The hikers caught a brief glimpse of the snow-capped summit before the clouds rolled in."
A brief, preliminary, or incomplete perception, insight, or experience of something.
"Her personal letters offer a fascinating glimpse into everyday life during the nineteenth century."
• verb
To see or perceive someone or something briefly, partially, or indistinctly.
"Through the train window, she glimpsed a small village nestled in the valley."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Glimpse' is often compared with 'glance', though their perspectives differ: a 'glance' is a quick, deliberate look directed by the observer, whereas a 'glimpse' is a brief, often accidental or partial view received of something.
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'glimsen' (to shine faintly or look briefly), derived from a Germanic root shared with 'glimmer' and 'gleam'. The excrescent 'p' developed naturally in the 16th century to ease pronunciation between 'm' and 's'.