Past tense of flicker; moved or shone unsteadily with quick, sudden variations in brightness or movement.
From Old English 'flycerian' or related Germanic roots meaning to flutter or move quickly; the -ed past tense evolved as English developed its regular verb conjugations around the 5th-6th centuries.
Flicker comes from an onomatopoetic root—the word itself mimics the very instability it describes, making 'flickered' sound like what it means in a way that feels almost magical.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.