Past tense of 'gleam'; shone brightly or reflected light with a sudden flash or continuous glow.
From Old English glæm (brightness, radiance) plus the regular past tense -ed suffix. The root relates to words meaning 'to shine' across Germanic languages.
The word 'gleamed' appears constantly in poetry and fantasy literature because it perfectly captures that moment when something suddenly catches your eye with light—think of sword blades gleaming in battle scenes or eyes gleaming with emotion.
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