nictitate









nictitate


verb (used without object), nic·ti·tat·ed, nic·ti·tat·ing.

  1. to wink.

verb

  1. technical words for blink (def. 1)
v.

“to wink,” 1822, from Medieval Latin nictitatus, past participle of nictitare, frequentative of Latin nictare “wink, blink,” related to nicere “to beckon,” from PIE root *kneigwh- “to lean on, to bend” (the eyelids together). Related: Nictitated; nictitating (1713). Earlier form was nictate (v.), 1690s, from Latin nictare.

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