Definition

Describing something that appears to flicker or is not steady, often referring to light or movement.

Example

The candle's flame had a flickery glow that danced in the dark.

Conversation

Did you notice how the lights looked a bit flickery last night?

Yeah, it was really distracting during the movie.

I thought it might affect the screen quality too.

Good thing it didn't ruin the experience for us!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Flickery → The word is formed from "flicker" (of uncertain origin, possibly imitative of the motion of flickering) and the suffix "-y" (meaning characterized by). The term "flickery" describes something characterized by flickering or unsteady light.

Memory Tip

Think of something that is 'characterized by flickering' — the suffix '-y' indicates a quality, so flickery means having the quality of flickering.

Visually Confused Words