coruscate

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/ˈkɒɹəskeɪt//ˈkɔːɹəskeɪt/

verb

To give off light; to reflect in flashes; to sparkle.

Similar
gleamglimmerglistenglitterradiatescintillatesheenshine
OriginLatin coruscātus →
Scrabble 13
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Meanings

verbcoruscate (third-person singular simple present coruscates, present participle coruscating, simple past and past participle coruscated)

present singular third person coruscates · participle present coruscating · participle past coruscated · past coruscated · alternative dated corruscate

  1. intransitiveTo give off light; to reflect in flashes; to sparkle.

    Then He [Death himself] clapped spurs to his steed and it sprang into the air, sparks coruscating from its hooves.

    1983, Terry Pratchett, The Colour of Magic, published 2022, page 204

    Synonyms: gleam, glimmer, glisten, glitter, radiate, scintillate, sheen, shine

  2. figurativelyintransitiveTo exhibit brilliant technique or style.

    For truth and tenderness do more / Than coruscating metaphor.

    1981, A. D. Hope, “His Coy Mistress to Mr. Marvell”, in A Book of Answers, archived from the original on 16 Jul 2021

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo give off light; to reflect in flashes; to sparkle.

Similar
gleamglimmerglistenglitterradiatescintillatesheenshinesparkletwinkle

More synonyms by meaning

verbreflect brightly

Similar
sparklescintillate
Broader
reflectshine

verbbe lively or brilliant or exhibit virtuosity

Similar
sparklescintillate
Broader
shine
Also see
glimmerglimpseglistenscintillateshinespanglesparkle

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latincoruscātus
  2. Englishcoruscate

From Latin coruscātus, perfect passive participle of coruscō (“to flash, gleam”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix).

More words from Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian блестя, искря
  • блестя (blestja)to reflect in flashes; to sparkle
  • искря (iskrja)to reflect in flashes; to sparkle
German funkeln
  • funkelnto reflect in flashes; to sparkle
Latin coruscō
  • coruscōto reflect in flashes; to sparkle
Spanish chispear
  • chispearto reflect in flashes; to sparkle
Cite this entry
APA

coruscate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coruscate

MLA

“coruscate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coruscate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “coruscate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/coruscate.

Source: coruscate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.