the quality of shining with a bright reflected light
"The diamond's glitter caught the sunlight and danced across the floor."
the occurrence of a small flash or spark
"The driver's side mirror caught a sudden glitter from the oncoming headlights as he turned onto the dark road."
A bright, sparkling light; shininess or brilliance.
"The diamond caught the candlelight and sent a shower of glitter across the dark room."
In plain English: Glitter is tiny, shiny pieces of material that sparkle when light hits them.
"The stars glittered in the dark night sky."
Usage: Use the noun form of glitter to describe shiny surfaces like sequins or sand rather than the verb when referring to the action of shining. Avoid confusing this with "glisten," which typically implies a wet sheen on organic materials like skin or leaves, whereas glitter suggests dry, fragmented sparkle.
To sparkle with light; to shine with a brilliant and broken light or showy luster; to gleam.
"The diamond ring glittered brightly under the chandelier's warm glow."
In plain English: To glitter as a verb means to shine with bright, sparkling flashes of light.
"The diamonds on her necklace glittered under the bright lights."
The word "glitter" comes from the Old Norse verb meaning to shine or sparkle. It traveled into English through Middle English while retaining its original sense of flashing light.