A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

gherkin --- 1661, from Du. pl. of gurk "cucumber," shortened form of E.Fris. augurk "cucumber," probably from a Balto-Slavic source (cf. Polish ogórek "cucumber"), possibly ult. from Medieval Gk. angourion "a kind of cucumber," said to be from Pers. angarah. The -h- was added 1800s to preserve the hard "g" pronunciation.

ghetto --- 1611, from It. ghetto "part of a city to which Jews are restricted," various theories of its origin include: Yiddish get "deed of separation;" special use of Venetian getto "foundry" (there was one near the site of that city's ghetto in 1516); Egitto "Egypt," from L. Aegyptus (presumably in memory of the exile); or It. borghetto "small section of a town" (dim. of borgo, of Gmc. origin, see borough). Extended 1892 to crowded urban quarters of other minority groups. Ghetto-blaster "large portable stereo" is from 1982.

Ghibelline --- 1573, from Ger. Waiblingen, seat of the Hohenstaufens in Württemberg. The name was said to have been used as a rallying cry by partisans of Conrad III at the Battle of Weinsberg (1140). See Guelph.

ghost --- O.E. gast "soul, spirit, life, breath," from P.Gmc. *ghoizdoz (cf. O.S. gest, O.Fris. jest, M.Du. gheest, Ger. Geist "spirit, ghost"), from PIE base *ghois- "to be excited, frightened" (cf. Skt. hedah "wrath;" Avestan zaesha- "horrible, frightful;" Goth. usgaisjan, O.E. gæstan "to frighten"). This was the usual W.Gmc. word for "supernatural being," and the primary sense seems to have been connected to the idea of "to wound, tear, pull to pieces." The surviving O.E. senses, however, are in Christian writing, where it is used to render L. spiritus, a sense preserved in Holy Ghost. Modern sense of "disembodied spirit of a dead person" is attested from c.1385 and returns the word toward its ancient sense. Most IE words for "soul, spirit" also double with ref. to supernatural spirits. Many have a base sense of "appearance" (e.g. Gk. phantasma; Fr. spectre; Pol. widmo, from O.C.S. videti "to see;" O.E. scin, O.H.G. giskin, originally "appearance, apparition," related to O.E. scinan, O.H.G. skinan "to shine"). Other concepts are in Fr. revenant, lit. "returning" (from the other world), O.N. aptr-ganga, lit. "back-comer." Bret. bugelnoz is lit. "night-child." L. manes, lit. "the good ones," is a euphemism. The gh- spelling appeared c.1425 in Caxton, influenced by Flem. and M.Du. gheest, but was rare in Eng. before c.1550. Sense of "slight suggestion" (in ghost image, ghost of a chance, etc.) is first recorded 1613; that in ghost writing is from 1884, but that term is not found until 1927. Ghost town is from 1931. Ghost in the machine was Gilbert Ryle's term (1949) for "the mind viewed as separate from the body."

ghoul --- 1786, in Beckford's "Vathek," from Ar. ghul, an evil spirit that robs graves and feeds on corpses, from ghala "he seized."

giant --- 1297, from O.Fr. geant, from V.L. *gagantem (nom. gagas), from L. gigas "giant," from Gk. gigas (gen. gigantos), one of a race of savage beings, sons of Gaia and Uranus, eventually destroyed by the gods, probably from a pre-Gk. language. Replaced O.E. ent, eoten. The Gk. word was used in Septuagint to refer to men of great size and strength, hence the expanded use in modern languages. Gigantic (1612) replaced earlier gigantine. "In þat tyme wer here non hauntes Of no men bot of geauntes." [Wace's Chronicle, c.1330]

giaour --- 1564, Turk. term of contempt for non-Muslims, from Pers. gaur, variant of gabr "fire-worshipper," originally applied to the adherents of the Zoroastrian religion.

gibberish --- c.1554, imitative of the sound of chatter, probably influenced by jabber. Used early 17c. of the language of rogues and gypsies.

gibbet (n.) --- c.1225, "gallows," from O.Fr. gibet, dim. of gibe "club," perhaps from Frank. *gibb "forked stick." The verb meaning "to kill by hanging" is from 1646.

gibbon --- 1770, from Fr., supposedly from a word in the Fr. colonies of India but not found in any language there. Brought to Europe by Marquis Joseph-François Dupleix (1697-1763), Fr. governor general in India, 1742-54. The surname is O.Fr. Giboin, from Frank. *Geba-win "gift-friend," or in some cases a dim. of Gibb, itself a familiar form of Gilbert.

gibbous --- c.1400, from L.L. gibbous "hunchbacked," from L. gibbus "hump, hunch," of uncertain origin.

gibe, jibe --- 1567, perhaps from M.Fr. giber "to handle roughly," or an alteration of gaber "to mock."

giblets --- c.1303, from O.Fr. gibelet "game stew," of uncertain origin, perhaps from Frank. *gabaiti "hunting with falcons."

Gibraltar --- 1592, ancient Calpe, captured 710 C.E. by Saracen leader Tarik, renamed Jebel el Tarik "the Mountain of Tarik." A British possession since 1704.

Gibson girl --- woman considered stylish late 1890s and early 1900s, 1901, named for Charles Dana Gibson (1867-1944), U.S. artist and illustrator, whose main model was his wife, Irene Langhorne.

giddy --- O.E. gidig, variant of *gydig "insane, mad, stupid, possessed by a spirit," probably from P.Gmc. *guthigaz, from *guthan "god" + *-ig "possessed." Meaning "having a confused, swimming sensation" is from 1570.

Gideon --- Bible propagation society, 1906, formally Christian Commercial Young Men's Association of America, founded 1899. It takes its name from Gideon, Israelite judge and warrior [Judg. vi:11-viii:25], from Heb. Gidh'on, lit. "feller," from stem of gadha "he cut off, hewed, felled."

gift --- 1104, from O.N. gift, from P.Gmc. *giftiz (cf. O.Fris. jefte, M.Du. ghifte "gift," Ger. Mitgift "dowry"), from PIE base *ghabh- "to give or receive" (see habit). O.E. cognate gift meant "bride-price, marriage gift (by the groom), dowry" (O.E. for "giving, gift" was related giefu). Sense of "natural talent" is c.1300.

gig (1) --- light carriage, small boat, 1790, perhaps, on notion of bouncing, from M.E. ghyg "spinning top" (in whyrlegyg, 1440), also "giddy girl" (giglet), from O.N. geiga "turn sideways," or Dan. gig "spinning top."

gig (2) --- job, first used by jazz musicians, attested from 1915 but said to have been in use c.1905; of uncertain origin.

giggle --- 1509, probably imitative.

gigolo --- 1922, from Fr. gigolo, formed as a masc. of gigole "tall, thin woman; dancing girl; prostitute," perhaps from verb gigoter "to move the shanks, hop," from gigue "shank," also "fiddle," of Gmc. origin. This is perhaps the same word that was borrowed earlier as M.E. giglot (c.1340) "lewd, wanton girl," which was later applied to males (1529) with the sense "villainous man." M.E. gigletry meant "lasciviousness" (1387).

gila monster --- Heloderma suspectum, 1877, Amer.Eng., from Gila River, which runs through its habitat in Arizona.

Gilbert --- male proper name, from O.Fr. Guillebert (from O.H.G. Williberht, lit. "a bright will") or O.Fr. Gilebert, from Gisilbert, lit. "a bright pledge," from O.H.G. gisil "pledge," a Celtic loan-word (cf. O.Ir. giall "pledge") + beorht "bright." It was the common name for a male cat (especially in short form Gib) from c.1450 (see Tom).

gild --- O.E. gyldan, from P.Gmc. *gulthianan (cf. O.N. gylla "to guild"), from *gulthan "gold." Shakespeare's lilies were never gilded. The quote ("King John," iv.2) is, "To gild refined gold, to paint the lily."

Giles --- male proper name, from O.Fr. Gilles, from L. Aegidius, from aegis (see aegis).

Gill --- fem. proper name, see Jill.

gill (1) --- organ of breathing in fishes, c.1300, from O.N. giolnar "gills;" O.Dan. -gæln (in fiske-gæln "fish gill").

gill (2) --- liquid measure (commonly a half-pint), 1275, from O.Fr. gille "a wine measure," from M.L. gillo "earthenware jar," of uncertain origin.

gillyflower --- 1551 folk-etymology spelling (by association of flower) of gilofre "clove" (so named for its scent), c.1300, from O.Fr. girofle "clove," ult. from Gk. karyophyllon "clove, nut leaf, dried flower bud of clove tree," from karyon "nut" + phyllon "leaf."

gilt --- c.1300, pp. of M.E. gilden, from O.E. gyldan (see gild).

gimcrack --- 1618, "showy person," sense of "trifle" first recorded 1839, of uncertain origin, perhaps alteration of gibecrake "a kind of ornament" (1360), perhaps from O.Fr. giber "to rattle, shake" + M.E. crak "sharp noise, crack." In 18c.-19c. it also meant "a person who has a turn for mechanical contrivances."

gimlet --- c.1420, from Anglo-Fr. guimbelet, perhaps from M.Du. wimmelkijn, dim. of wimmel "auger, drill." The meaning "cocktail made with gin or vodka and lime juice" is first attested 1928, presumably from its "penetrating" effects on the drinker.

gimmick --- 1926 (in Maine & Grant's "Wise-Crack Dictionary," which defines it as "a device used for making a fair game crooked"), Amer.Eng., perhaps an alteration of gimcrack, or an anagram of magic.

gimp --- 1925, "a crippled leg," also "a crippled person," perhaps by association with limp.

gin (n.1) --- type of distilled drinking alcohol, 1714, shortening of geneva, alt. (by influence of the Swiss city) from Du. genever "juniper" (because the alcohol was flavored with its berries), from O.Fr. genevre, from L. juniperus "juniper." Gin rummy first attested 1941.

gin (n.2) --- machine for separating cotton from seeds, 1796, Amer.Eng., used earlier of various other machineries, from M.E. gin "ingenious device, contrivance" (c.1200), from O.Fr. gin "machine, device, scheme," aphetic form of engin, from L. ingenium (see engine).

gin (v.) --- in slang phrase gin up "enliven, make more exciting," 1887, probably from earlier ginger up in same sense, from ginger in sense of "spice, pizzazz;" specifically in ref. to the treatment described in the 1811 slang dictionary under the entry for feague: ... to put ginger up a horse's fundament, and formerly, as it is said, a live eel, to make him lively and carry his tail well; it is said, a forfeit is incurred by any horse-dealer's servant, who shall shew a horse without first feaguing him. Feague is used, figuratively, for encouraging or spiriting one up.

ginger --- O.E. gingifer, from M.L. gingiber, from L. zingiberi, from Gk. zingiberis, from Prakrit (Middle Indic) singabera, from Skt. srngaveram, from srngam "horn" + vera- "body," so called from the shape of its root. But this may be Skt. folk-etymology, and the word may be from an ancient Dravidian name that also produced the Malayalam name for the spice, inchi-ver, from inchi "root." Cf. gin (v.).

gingerbread --- 1299, gingerbrar, from O.Fr. ginginbrat "preserved ginger," from M.L. gingimbratus "gingered," from gingiber (see ginger). The ending changed by folk etymology to -brede "bread," a formation attested by 1352. Originally "preserved ginger," the meaning "a kind of spiced cake" is from 15c. Sense of "fussy decoration on a house" is first recorded 1757, originally gingerbread-work (1748), a sailors' term for carved decoration on a ship.

gingerly --- 1519, "elegantly, daintily," perhaps from O.Fr. gensor, comp. of gent "dainty, delicate," from L. gentius "(well)-born." Meaning "extremely cautiously" is from 1607.

gingham --- 1615, from Du. gingang, traders' rendering of a Malay word said to be ginggang "striped," used as a noun with the sense of "striped cotton."

gingivitis --- 1874, from L. gingiva "gums" + -itis (q.v.).

ginkgo --- 1773, from Japanese ginkyo, from Chinese yin-hing, from yin "silver" + hing "apricot" (Sino-Japanese kyo). Introduced to New World 1784 by William Hamilton in his garden near Philadelphia. One was planted 1789 at Pierce Arboretum (now part of Longwood Gardens) in Kennett Square, Pa., and by 1968 it was 105 ft. tall.

Ginnie Mae --- 1970, from GNMA, acronym of Government National Mortgage Association.

ginseng --- 1691, from Chinese jen-shen. First element means "man," but the meaning of the second is obscure.

giraffe --- 1594, from It. giraffa, from Ar. zarafa, probably from an African language. Earlier M.E. spellings varied wildly, depending on the source, including jarraf, ziraph, and gerfauntz, the last apparently reflecting some confusion with olifaunt "elephant." Replaced earlier camelopard, a compound of camel (for the long neck) and pard (1) "leopard" (for the spots).

gird --- O.E. gyrdan "put a belt or girdle around," from P.Gmc. *gurthjanan (cf. O.N. gyrða, O.Fris. gerda, O.H.G. gurtan, Ger. Gürten). Related to O.E. geard "hedge, enclosure" (see yard (1)). Girder "main beam that carries flooring" is first attested 1611.

girdle --- O.E. gyrdel "belt, sash, cord about the waist," common Gmc. (cf. O.N. gyrðill, O.Fris. gerdel, Ger. gürtel "belt"), related to O.E. gyrdan "to gird" (see gird). Modern euphemistic sense of "elastic corset" first recorded 1925.

girl --- c.1290, gyrle "child" (of either sex), of unknown origin; current scholarship leans toward an unrecorded O.E. *gyrele, from P.Gmc. *gurwilon-, dim. of *gurwjoz (represented by Low Ger. gære "boy, girl"), from PIE *ghwrgh-, also found in Gk. parthenos "virgin." But this is highly conjectural. Another candidate is O.E. gierela "garment." Like boy, lass, lad it is of obscure origin. "Probably most of them arose as jocular transferred uses of words that had originally different meaning" [OED]. Specific meaning of "female child" is 14c. Applied to "any young unmarried woman" since 1530. Meaning "sweetheart" is from 1648; girl-friend is attested from 1892. Girlie (adj.) "meant to titillate men" is from 1942. Girl next door as a type of unflashy attractiveness is first recorded 1961.

Girondist --- 1795, member of the moderate republican party of France, 1791-93, from Gironde, a deputy in southwestern France; the faction so called because its leaders were deputies elected from there.

girth --- c.1300, "belt around a horse's body," from O.N. gjorð "girdle, belt, hoop," from P.Gmc. *gertu- (cf Goth. gairda "girdle"), from the same source as gird (q.v.). Sense of "measurement around an object" first recorded 1644.

gist --- 1711, "the real point" (of a law case, etc.), from Anglo-Fr. legalese phrases, especially cest action gist "this action lies," meaning "this case is sustainable by law," from O.Fr. gist en "it consists in, it lies in" (third pers. sing. pres. indicative of gésir "to lie"), from L. jacet "it lies." Extended sense of "essence" first recorded 1823.

git --- worthless person, 1946, British slang, a southern variant of Scottish get illegitimate child, brat," related to beget.

Gitano --- gypsy, 1834, from Sp., from V.L. *Ægyptanus "Egyptian." The fem. is gitana. The Fr. form of the fem., gitane, was used as the name of a brand of cigarettes (1933) and has come to be used for Fr. cigarettes generally.

give --- O.E. giefan (W. Saxon), class V strong verb (past tense geaf, pp. giefen), from P.Gmc. *gebanan (cf. O.Fris. jeva, M.Du. gheven, Ger. geben, Goth. giban), from PIE *ghab(h)- "to take, hold, have, give" (see habit). It became yiven in M.E., but changed to guttural "g" by infl. of O.N. gefa "to give," O.Dan. givæ. Meaning "to yield to pressure" is from 1577. Given "allotted, predestined" (O.E. giefeðe) also had a n. sense of "fate," reflecting an important concept in pagan Gmc. ideology. The modern sense of "what is given, known facts" is from 1879. To give (someone) a cold seems to reflect the old belief that one could be cured of disease by deliberately infecting others. What gives? "what is happening?" is attested from 1940. Give-and-take (n.) is originally from horse racing (1769) and refers to races in which bigger horses were given more weight to carry, lighter ones less. Give-away (n.) is from 1872.

gizmo --- 1942, originally U.S. Navy and Marine Corps slang, of unknown origin.

gizzard --- stomach of a bird, 1373, from O.Fr. giser, probably from V.L. *gicerium, from L. gigeria (neut. pl.) "cooked entrails of a fowl," a delicacy in ancient Rome. Parasitic -d added 1500s. Later extended to other animals, and, jocularly, to human beings.

glabella --- space between the eyebrows, 1598, Mod.L., lit. fem. of adj. glabellus "without hair, smooth," dim. of glaber "smooth, bald," cognate with O.E. glæd "bright, shining, joyous" (see glad).

glacial --- 1656, from Fr. glacial, from L. glacialis "icy, frozen, full of ice," from glacies "ice," from PIE base *gel- "cold" (cf. L. gelu "frost"). Geological sense apparently coined by Professor E. Forbes, 1846.

glacier --- 1744, from Fr. glacier, from Savoy dialect glacière "moving mass of ice," from O.Fr. glace "ice," from L. glacies (see glacial).

glacis --- sloping bank (especially leading up to a fortification), 1672, from Fr. glacir "to freeze, make slippery," from O.Fr. glacier "to slip," from L. glaciare "to make or turn into ice," from glacies (see glacial).

glad --- O.E. glæd "bright, shining, joyous," from P.Gmc. *glathaz (cf. O.N. glaðr "smooth, bright, glad," O.Fris. gled, Du. glad "slippery," Ger. glatt "smooth"), from PIE *ghledho- "bright, smooth" (cf. L. glaber "smooth, bald," O.C.S. gladuku, Lith. glodus "smooth"), from PIE base *ghlei- "to shine, glitter, glow, be warm" (see gleam). The modern sense is much weaker. Gladden is O.E. gladian "be glad, make glad" + -en. Slang glad rags "one's best clothes" first recorded 1902. Glad hand "the hand of welcome" (often used cynically) is from 1895.

glade --- clear, open space in a woods, 1529, perhaps from M.E. glode (c.1300), from O.N. glaðr "bright" (see glad). Original meaning would be "bright (because open) space in a wood" (cf. Fr. clairière "glade," from clair "clear, bright;" Ger. Lichtung "clearing, glade," from Licht "light"). Amer.Eng. sense of "marshy grassland" (e.g. Everglades) first recorded c.1796.

gladiator --- 1541, from L. gladiator, lit. "swordsman," from gladius "sword," supposedly from Gaul. *kladyos (cf. O.Ir. claideb, Welsh cleddyf, Breton kleze "sword"), from PIE base *qelad- "to strike, beat."

gladiolus --- c.1000, from L. gladiolus "wild iris," lit. "small sword," dim. of gladius "sword," so called by Pliny in reference to the plant's sword-shaped leaves. The O.E. form of the word was gladdon.

Gladys --- fem. proper name, Welsh Gwladys, probably a Brythonified form of L. Claudia (q.v.).

Glagolitic --- 1861, from Serbo-Croat glagolica "Glagolitic alphabet," from O.C.S. glagolu "word" (see call) + Gk. suffix -itic. The older of the two Slavic writing systems (Cyrillic is the other), it was designed by Cyrillus c.863 C.E.

glamour --- 1720, "magic, enchantment" (especially in phrase to cast the glamour), a variant of Scot. gramarye "magic, enchantment, spell," alt. of Eng. grammar (q.v.) with a medieval sense of "any sort of scholarship, especially occult learning." Popularized by the writings of Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832). Sense of "magical beauty, alluring charm" first recorded 1840. Glamorous is 1882 (slang shortening glam first attested 1936); glamorize is 1936.

glance (v.) --- 1441, from glacen "to graze, strike a glancing blow" (c.1300), from O.Fr. glaichier "to slip, make slippery," from glace "ice" (see glacial). Sense of "look quickly" (first recorded 1583) infl. by M.E. glenten "look askance" (see glint).

gland --- 1692, from L. glandula "gland of the throat, tonsil," dim. of glans (gen. glandis) "acorn," from PIE base *gwel- "acorn, oak" (cf. Gk. balanos, Armenian kalin, O.C.S. zelodi "acorn;" Lith. gile "oak").

glanders --- horse disease characterized by glandular swelling, c.1410, from O.Fr. glandres, pl. of glandre, from L. glandula (see gland).

glare (v.) --- c.1250, "shine brightly," perhaps from M.Du., M.L.G. glaren "to gleam," related by rhoticization to glas (see glass). Sense of "stare fiercely" is from 1609. O.E. glær meant "amber." Glaring "obtrusively conspicuous" is from 1706.

Glasgow --- from Gael., lit. "green hollow," from gael "green" + cau "hollow."

glasnost --- 1972 (in reference to a letter of 1969 by Solzhenitsyn), from Rus., lit. "publicity," ult. from O.C.S. glasu "voice" (see call). First used in a socio-political sense by Lenin; popularized in Eng. after Mikhail Gorbachev used it prominently in a speech of March 11, 1985, accepting the post of general secretary of the CPSU.

glass --- O.E. glæs, from W.Gmc. *glasam (cf. M.Du. glas, Ger. Glas), from P.Gmc. base *gla-/*gle-, from PIE *gel-/*ghel- "to shine, glitter, be green or yellow," a color word that is the root of words for grey, blue, green, and yellow (cf. O.E. glær "amber," L. glaesum "amber," O.Ir. glass "green, blue, gray," Welsh glas "blue"). Sense of "drinking glass" is c.1225; glasses for "spectacles" is 1660s. The glass slipper in "Cinderella" is probably an error by Charles Perrault, translating in 1697, mistaking O.Fr. voir "ermine, fur" for verre "glass." In other versions of the tale it is a fur slipper. Glass ceiling first recorded 1990.

Glastonbury --- town in Somersetshire, famous as a prehistoric site, O.E. Glestingabyrig, Glastingburi (725), "Stronghold (O.E. byrig, dat. of burh) of the people (O.E. -inga-) living at Glaston," a Celtic name, possibly meaning "woad place."

glaucoma --- 1643, from Gk. glaukoma "cataract, opacity of the lens" (cataracts and glaucoma not distinguished until c.1705), from glaukos, an adj. of uncertain origin, used in Homer of the sea as "gleaming, silvery" (apparently without a color connotation); used later with a sense of "bluish-green, gray," of olive leaves and eyes. Homer's glauk-opis Athene could be a "bright-eyed" or a "gray-eyed" goddess. Gk. for "owl" was glauk- from its bright, staring eyes.

glaze (v.) --- 1362, glasen "to fit with glass," from glas (see glass), probably infl. by glazier (1385). Noun sense of "substance used to make a glossy coating" is first attested 1784.

gleam --- O.E. glæm "brightness, splendor, radiance," from P.Gmc. *glaimiz (cf. M.H.G. glim "spark," gleime "glowworm;" O.N. glija "to shine, glitter"), from root *glim-, from PIE *ghlei- "to shine, glitter, glow, be warm." Verb is c.1225, from the noun.

glean --- c.1330, from O.Fr. glener, from L.L. glennare "make a collection," from Gaulish (cf. O.Ir. do-glinn "he collects, gathers," Celt. glan "clean, pure"). Figurative sense was earlier in Eng. than the literal one of "gather grain left by the reapers" (c.1385).

glebe --- 1302, from O.Fr. glebe, from L. gleba "clod, lump," from PIE *glebh- "to roll into a ball" (cf. L. globus "sphere," O.E. clyppan "to embrace"). Earliest Eng. sense is "land forming a clergyman's benefice," on notion of soil of the earth as source of vegetable products.

glee --- O.E. gliu "entertainment, mirth, jest," presumably from a P.Gmc. *gliujan but absent in other Gmc. languages except for the rare O.N. gly. In O.E., an entertainer was a gleuman. A poetic word in M.E., obsolete c.1500-c.1700, it somehow found its way back to currency late 18c. Glee club (1814) is from the secondary O.E. sense of "unaccompanied part-song," as a form of musical entertainment.

glen --- narrow valley, 1489, from Scottish, from Gaelic gleann "mountain valley" (cf. Welsh glyn). Common in place names, cf. Glenlivet (1822), a kind of whiskey, named for the place it was first made (lit. "the glen of the Livet," a tributary of the Avon); and Glengarry (1841) a kind of man's cap, of Highland origin.

glib --- 1593, possibly shortening of obsolete glibbery "slippery," from Low Ger. glibberig "smooth, slippery," from M.L.G. glibberich, from glibber "jelly."

glide --- O.E. glidan "move along smoothly and easily" (class I strong verb, past tense glad, past participle gliden), from W.Gmc. *glidan (cf. O.S. glidan, O.Fris. glida, Ger. gleiten). No known cognates outside Germanic. Glider "motorless airplane," is c.1897.

glimmer --- c.1330, frequentative of P.Gmc. *glim-, root of O.E. glæm "brightness" (see gleam). Originally "shine brightly," sense shifted 15c. to "shine faintly."

glimpse --- c.1400, "to shine faintly," probably from O.E. *glimsian "shine faintly," from P.Gmc. *glim- (see gleam). If so, the intrusive -p- would be there to ease pronunciation. Sense of "catch a quick view" first recorded 1779.