sunbeam

Meaning

Noun

• A visible, narrow, and intense (relative to ambient light) ray of sunlight.
• An item of cutlery or crockery laid out on a table, but not used, and which can be returned to the drawer without being washed.
• Any of various lycaenid butterflies of the genus Curetis.
• Any hummingbird of the genus Aglaeactis.
• Synonym of sunshine

Origin

• From Middle English *sonne-beme (attested only as Middle English sonnes bem, sonnes beme and also as beem of the sonne), from Old English sunnbēam, sunnebēam, equivalent to .