gloaming
/ˈɡloʊmɪŋ/
noun
Origin
Old English
glōm — twilight
Overview
Meaning Now
- twilight, especially in the evening
Language path
Old English → Middle English → Modern English
Earliest form
glōmung
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word entered Middle English via the compound ǣfen‑glommung, where the long ŏ was shortened, producing a form that later developed into modern gloaming, an irregular vowel development compared with the expected *glooming.
Evolution
- Old English
glōmung
“twilight”
- Middle English
glǭming
“twilight”
Result of vowel shortening in the compound ǣfen‑glommung
- Modern English
gloaming
“twilight, especially in the evening”
Connections
Word parts
glōm
root
twilight
Explore next
Related to gloaming
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.