sparkler

sparkler

English

Etymology

sparkle +‎ -er

Noun

sparkler (plural sparklers)

1. A hand-held firework that emits sparks.
   • 2006, Marcus Collins, Modern Love (page 258)

     The Playboy cover was of a girl in grey slacks and sandals, one hand on hip and the other waving a sparkler for Independence Day.

2. (slang) A gem or ornament that sparkles.
   • 1964, Mexican Life: Mexico's Monthly Review (volume 40, page 65)

     When the bill came, I got a side-glance at it, and hoped Rose would have to hock her sparklers to pay it.

3. A vivacious and charismatic person.
   • 2008, Robert Scott, Driven to Murder: The Blood Crimes at the Sam Donaldson Ranch

     “As for Marilea, she was a sparkler. She was very effervescent. The family would often come out as a family unit when we were in the barnyard or the horse corral, and Marilea was just fine.”

4. (informal) A sparkling wine.
   • 1984, Sheldon Wasserman, ‎Pauline Wasserman, Sparkling Wine (page 238)

     Irvine's white, a grape variety named for Hans Irvine, who developed the vineyards at Great Western (now owned by Seppelt), is frequently used in the Australian sparklers.

5. A tiger beetle.
6. (dated) One who scatters; especially, one who scatters money; an improvident person.

Translations

hand-held firework

Armenian: բենգալյան կրակ (hy) (bengalyan krak) Czech: prskavka f Danish: stjernekaster c Dutch: sterretje (nl) n Estonian: säraküünal Finnish: tähtisadetikku French: cierge magique m German: Wunderkerze (de) f, bengalisches Feuer n

Greek: βεγγαλικό (el) n (vengalikó) Hungarian: csillagszóró (hu) Norwegian: Bokmål: stjerneskudd n Russian: бенга́льский ого́нь m (bengálʹskij ogónʹ) Spanish: bengala f Swedish: tomtebloss n Thai: ไฟเย็น

slang terms only: gem or ornament that sparkles

Finnish: killutin (fi)

informal terms only: sparkling wine

Finnish: kuohari (fi), skumppa (fi), kupliva

tiger beetle — see tiger beetle

one who scatters money