To shine with a soft, reflected light; to sparkle or glimmer, especially with moisture.
From Middle English 'glisten,' possibly from Old Norse 'glitra' (to glitter) or Proto-Germanic roots related to 'glitter.' The word entered English during the medieval period and has remained common ever since.
Glisten specifically implies moisture or liquid—glistening eyes, glistening sweat, glistening snow—it's the visual equivalent of wetness, which is why poets use it when they want to capture something alive and vital rather than cold and dry.
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