SuaviloquyToday’s word

sheen

Sheen, a.

Etymology: [OE. sehene, AS. sciéne, sc, sc, splendid, beautiful; akin to OFries. sk, sk, OS. sc, D. schoon, G. schön, OHG. sc, Goth, skanus, and E. shew; the original meaning being probably, visible, worth seeing. It is not akin to E. shine. See Shew, v. t.]

Bright; glittering; radiant; fair; showy; sheeny. [R., except in poetry.] This holy maiden, that is so bright and sheen. Chaucer. Up rose each warrier bold and brave, Glistening in filed steel and armor sheen. Fairfax.

2 other Webster entries under this spelling

Sheen, v. i.

To shine; to glisten. [Poetic] This town, That, sheening far, celestial seems to be. Byron.

Sheen, n.

Brightness; splendor; glitter. "Throned in celestial sheen." Milton.

Shades of meaning

Fernald has no entry of its own for sheen; he lists it under light.

Where he writes about it:

Shine and shining refer to a steady or continuous emission of light; sheen is a faint shining, usually by reflection. — from light