An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/glimmen

by Friedrich Kluge

glimmen, vb., ‘to shine dimly, glimmer,’ from MidHG. glimmen, str. vb., ‘to glow, glimmer,’ allied to MidHG. glamme, f., ‘glow,’ glim, ‘spark’ (OHG. *glimman); corresponding to Du. glimmen; also OHG. gleimo, MidHG. gleime, ‘glowworm’ (whence the proper name Gleim), MidHG. glîmen, ‘to light, shine, OSax. glîmo, ‘gleam.’ To the ModHG. and MidHG. glimmern correspondent AS. *glimorian, E. to glimmer, to which E. gleam (AS. glœ̂m) is allied. The OTeut. root glimm, glī̆-m., contained in these cognates, is perhaps lengthened from a root glī̆ (comp. Scand. gljá, ‘to shine’), with which Gr. χλιαρός, ‘warm,’ χλιαένω, ‘to warm,’ as well as Ir. gle (from the prim. form gleivo-), ‘shining, clear,’ may be connected.