Old English glisnian "to glisten, gleam," from Proto-Germanic *glis- (cognates: Old English glisian "to glitter, shine," Old Frisian glisa "to shine," Middle High German glistern "to sparkle," Old Danish glisse "to shine"), from PIE *ghleis-, from root *ghel- (2) "to shine," with derivatives referring to bright materials and gold (see glass, n., and compare glint and glad). Related: Glistened; glistening.