nictitating

English

Etymology

From the past participle stem of Latin nictitō, frequentative form of nictō (“I wink”) (see English nictate).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈnɪktɪteɪtɪŋ/

Adjective

nictitating (comparative more nictitating, superlative most nictitating)

1. winking, blinking
   • 1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, →ISBN, page 406:

     But she gave me only a dry look. A blink crossed the table. It even seemed to come from the bottom of her eye upward, like a nictitating membrane.

Derived terms

• nictitating membrane

Translations

winking, blinking

• French: nictitant (fr), clignotant (fr)
• Italian: nittitante
• Spanish: nictitante

Verb

nictitating

1. present participle and gerund of nictitate