Gleem

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A faint, brief shine of light, like a small glint reflected off a surface
2. A soft, passing flash of brightness that catches the eye for a moment
3. The slight glimmer of light seen on a polished or wet surface

Etymology: "Gleem" is a misspelling of "gleam," so the real story is the word "gleam" itself. It comes from Old English "glǣm," a noun meaning a flash or brightness of light, which in turn traces back to a Proto-West Germanic root meaning brightness or splendour. Its ultimate ancestor is a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to shine," and close relatives survive in German and Dutch-area dialects, Old High German "glīmen" (to glow, shine), and Faroese "glæma." The verb "to gleam" came later. It was formed in Middle English from the noun, with the suffix "-en" that marked infinitive verbs, giving the sense "to shine, or to glance." Curiously, the word had a near-homonym in Middle English, "gleimen," meaning to smear or make sticky, and its meanings included "to captivate" or "to ensnare." That word probably blended with various terms for slimy substances and was linked to Old Norse "kleima" (to daub, smear). The two words are unrelated in origin, though they sounded alike.