If you’ve ever thought someone was winking at you in a beckoning manner, you’re on the right track with the origin of the words. The Latin “nictare,” meaning “to wink,” is related to the Latin “nicere,” meaning “to beckon.” In English, “nictate” is a fancy word for “wink,” whether it’s done because something is caught in your eye or you’re trying to flirt. You might also recognize it as being similar to the nictitating membrane, a translucent membrane over the eye of some animals.