- Nictitate
- To wink. Nictitating spasm is spasm of the eyelid with continuous winking. "Nictitate" and the older verb "nictate" both come from the Latin word for winking, "nictare."
* * *To wink. [see nictitation]
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Medical dictionary. 2011.
Nictitate
Look at other dictionaries:
Nictitate — Nic ti*tate, v. i. [See {Nictate}.] To wink; to nictate. [1913 Webster] {Nictitating membrane} (Anat.), a thin membrane, found in many animals at the inner angle, or beneath the lower lid, of the eye, and capable of being drawn across the… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
nictitate — (v.) to wink, 1822, from M.L. nictitatus, pp. of nictitare, frequentative of L. nictare wink, blink, related to NICERE (Cf. nicere) to beckon, from PIE root *kneigwh to lean on, to bend (the eyelids together). Related: Nictitated; nictitating… … Etymology dictionary
nictitate — [nik′tə tāt΄] vi. nictitated, nictitating [< ML nictitatus, pp. of nictitare, freq. < L nictare, to wink: see connive] to wink or blink rapidly, as birds and other animals with a nictitating membrane do nictitation n … English World dictionary
nictitate — intransitive verb ( tated; tating) Etymology: alteration of nictate to wink, from Latin nictatus, past participle of nictare more at connive Date: 1713 wink … New Collegiate Dictionary
nictitate — nictitant, adj. /nik ti tayt /, v.i., nictitated, nictitating. to wink. Also, nictate. [1815 25; < ML nictitatus, ptp. of nictitare, freq. of L nictare to wink, freq. of nicere to beckon; see ATE1] * * * … Universalium
nictitate — verb /ˈnɪktɪteɪt/ to wink or blink See Also: nictitation, nictitating membrane … Wiktionary
nictitate — (Roget s Thesaurus II) verb To open and close the eyes rapidly: bat1, blink, nictate, twinkle, wink. See REPETITION, SEE … English dictionary for students
nictitate — nɪktɪteɪt v. hint; wink; blink … English contemporary dictionary
nictitate — v wink, blink, Inf. bat or bat one s eyes, flutter one s eyelashes … A Note on the Style of the synonym finder
nictitate — nic·ti·tate … English syllables
