Kiiltää

Kiiltää is a Finnish verb meaning to shine, gleam, or glitter. It describes surfaces that reflect light or objects that have a glossy finish, and it can also refer to eyes or expressions that appear bright or eager. The word is intransitive and commonly used for things like metal, glass, water, or surfaces that have been polished or cleaned, as well as for descriptions of light and weather.

The noun kiilto (gloss, shine) and the adjective kiiltävä (shiny) share the same root kiilt-, illustrating a common Finnish pattern where a root related to light or reflecting properties forms related words. Related verbs include kiillottaa (to polish, to make shiny) and kiilto-pinta or kiiltävä pinta (glossy surface). In everyday language, kiiltää is often contrasted with other light-related verbs such as hohtaa (to glow) and kimmeltää (to glitter with many small points of light), which carry finer nuances of brightness and sparkle.

Usage notes and examples help distinguish kiiltää from synonyms. For a glossy surface, one might say: Vesipinnat kiiltävät auringonpaisteessa. For newly polished furniture: Kaluste kiiltää uudelta maalilta. In describing natural light, kiiltää can convey a strong, clear reflection rather than scattered sparkle. The verb is a standard part of everyday Finnish and appears in both descriptive writing and spoken language.

See also: kiilto, kiiltävä, kiillottaa, kimmeltää, hohtaa.