Nictitant
/ˈnɪk.tɪ.tənt/noun
Blinking or winking, especially repeatedly or involuntarily.
Did you know?Nictitant descends from Latin *nictāre*, “to blink,” a frequentative form linked to *nīdere* (“to nod”), showing how many English “mysterious” eye-words began as simple physical motions.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*neid-
“to nod, bow the head”
Latin
Latin
nīdere
“to nod”
Latin
Latin
nictāre
“to blink repeatedly, wink”
Late Latin
Late Latin
nictitāns
“blinking, winking”
Modern English
English
nictitant
“blinking or winking repeatedly”