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¹flicker

verb flick·er \ˈfli-kər\

: to burn or glow in an unsteady way : to produce an unsteady light

: to appear or pass briefly or quickly

flick·eredflick·er·ing \-k(ə-)riŋ\

Full Definition of FLICKER

intransitive verb

: to move irregularly or unsteadily : flutter

: to burn or shine fitfully or with a fluctuating light <a candle flickering in the window>

: to appear briefly

transitive verb

: to cause to flicker

: to produce by flickering

— flick·er·ing·ly \-k(ə-)riŋ-lē\ adverb

See flicker defined for English-language learners

See flicker defined for kids

Origin of FLICKER

Middle English flikeren, from Old English flicorian

First Known Use: before 12th century

Related to FLICKER

Synonyms: dance, dart, flick, flit, flirt, flitter, flutter, zip

Rhymes with FLICKER

bicker, clicker, dicker, kicker, liquor, nicker, picker, pricker, sicker, slicker, snicker, sticker, ticker, tricker, vicar, whicker, wicker

²flicker

noun

Definition of FLICKER

a : an act of flickering

b : a sudden brief movement

c : a momentary quickening <a flicker of anger>

d : a slight indication : hint

a : a wavering light

b : a repeated momentary defect in a cathode-ray tube image caused especially by slow scanning of the screen

: movie —often used in plural

— flick·ery \ˈfli-k(ə-)rē\ adjective

First Known Use of FLICKER

1822

Rhymes with FLICKER

bicker, dicker, liquor, nicker, sicker, snicker, whicker, wicker

³flicker

noun

Definition of FLICKER

: a large barred and spotted North American woodpecker (Colaptes auratus) with a brown back that commonly forages on the ground for ants — compare red-shafted flicker, yellow-shafted flicker

Origin of FLICKER

probably imitative of its call

First Known Use: 1809

FLICKER Defined for Kids

¹flicker

verb flick·er \ˈfli-kər\

flick·eredflick·er·ing

Definition of FLICKER for Kids

: to burn unsteadily <a flickering candle>

: to appear briefly <A smile flickered across her face.>

: to move quickly <Roy's eyes flickered to her hand … — Carl Hiaasen, Hoot>

²flicker

noun

Definition of FLICKER for Kids

: a quick small movement <a flicker of the eyelids>

: a quick movement of light

³flicker

noun

Definition of FLICKER for Kids

: a large North American woodpecker

Medical Dictionary

flicker

noun flick·er \ˈflik-ər\

Medical Definition of FLICKER

: the wavering or fluttering visual sensation produced by intermittent light when the interval between flashes is not small enough to produce complete fusion of the individual impressions