An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/blinken

by Friedrich Kluge

blinken, vb., ‘to gleam, twinkle, blink,’ first occurs in ModHG.; related to blank, blink, adj.; comp. Du. blinken, MidE. blinken, E. to blink. The root may be identical with that of bleichen (blîkan), the i-root becoming nasalised; blinken would then be regarded as a verb of the e class. and blank a secondary form.