Glitter is tiny pieces of shiny material that catch and reflect light, creating a sparkling effect. Each piece is so small and light that thousands of them together look like captured starlight. Glitter can be made from plastic, metal, or glass, and comes in every color imaginable.

People use glitter to decorate crafts, cards, and costumes. A little glitter sprinkled on glue can transform a plain poster into something eye-catching. Stage performers often wear glitter because it sparkles brilliantly under bright lights. During celebrations, glitter might appear on party decorations, in greeting cards, or even mixed into face paint.

The word also describes anything that sparkles similarly. Fresh snow glitters in sunlight. A lake glitters when sunlight bounces off its rippling surface. You might say someone's eyes glitter with excitement or mischief when they're really enthusiastic about something.

Glitter has one notorious quality: it spreads everywhere and sticks to everything. Open a container of glitter for one art project, and you'll likely find sparkly specks on your clothes, in your hair, and across your desk for days afterward. This stubborn persistence has made glitter both beloved by craft enthusiasts and dreaded by parents and teachers.