glass

noun, often attributive

\ ˈglas,

ˈgläs\

Definition of glass

(Entry 1 of 4)

1 : any of various amorphous materials formed from a melt by cooling to rigidity without crystallization: such as

a : a usually transparent or translucent material consisting typically of a mixture of silicates

b : a material (such as obsidian) produced by fast cooling of magma

2a : something made of glass: such as

(1) : tumbler also : glassware

(2) : mirror

(3) : barometer

(4) : hourglass

(5) : backboard sense 1

b(1) : an optical instrument or device that has one or more lenses and is designed to aid in the viewing of objects not readily seen

(2) : field glasses, binoculars —usually used in plural

c glasses plural : a device used to correct defects of vision or to protect the eyes that consists typically of a pair of glass or plastic lenses and the frame by which they are held in place

— called also eyeglasses, spectacles

3 : the quantity held by a glass container

4 : fiberglass

5 : crystal meth specifically : a pure form of crystal meth

glass

verb

glassed; glassing; glasses

Definition of glass (Entry 2 of 4)

transitive verb

1a : to provide with glass : glaze sense 1

b : to enclose, case, or wall with glass the sunroom was glassed in

2 : to make glassy

3a : reflect

b : to see mirrored

4 : to look at through an optical instrument (such as a pair of binoculars)

intransitive verb

: glaze entry 1 sense 1

Glass

biographical name (1)

\ ˈglas

Definition of Glass (Entry 3 of 4)

Carter 1858–1946 American statesman

Glass

biographical name (2)

Definition of Glass (Entry 4 of 4)

Philip 1937– American composer

Other Words from glass Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about glass

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Examples of glass in a Sentence

Noun

The waiter filled our glasses with water. She drank two glasses of water. She was wearing dark glasses with thick black frames.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Acer first showed off the Predator Triton 900 at IFA 2018, but kept it under glass. — Mark Hachman, PCWorld, "Acer's swivel-display Predator Triton 900 will include Nvidia's mobile RTX graphics," 6 Jan. 2019 Further Reading Inside New York City’s newest recycling center The first material to go is glass. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Bikes, bowling balls, and the delicate balancing act that is modern recycling," 31 Dec. 2018 That's why a small bit of Silly Putty is malleable in your hands, but a 100-lb ball of the stuff dropped off the top of a building shatters like glass, as seen in this experiment from North Carolina State University. — Roy Berendsohn, Popular Mechanics, "A Serious Ode To Silly Putty," 27 Dec. 2018 The yellow ribbon badge, featuring a small portrait of the Queen painted on glass and surrounded by diamonds, is bestowed by the sovereign as a reward for outstanding service to the crown. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Kate Middleton Looks Like a Real-Life Cinderella in This Sparkly Jenny Packham Gown at the Diplomatic Reception," 4 Dec. 2018 Place each potato on the sheet and, with the bottom of a glass, gently press until crushed but still intact. — Woman's Day Kitchen, Woman's Day, "Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Fresh Herbs," 30 Nov. 2018 Doctors recommend that anyone who wears contacts also have a pair of glasses as well. — Tiffany Yannetta, Seventeen, "Everything You Need to Know About Getting Contact Lenses," 26 Oct. 2018 And there’ll be more glasses, clothing, embedded technology in people. — Eric Johnson, Recode, "Nobody trusts Facebook anymore. Here’s one way it could change that.," 15 Oct. 2018 The 2,000-square-foot coffee bar features café and patio seating and a production space and roastery behind glass. — Jennifer Bradley Franklin, Condé Nast Traveler, "10 Best Coffee Shops in Atlanta," 22 Aug. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The master bath was expanded to include a glassed-in shower with river stones set into the floor as well as an antique claw-foot tub. — Carol Riordan, courant.com, "Property of the week: 262 Kenyon Street, Hartford," 16 Nov. 2017 In November 2017, Semedo was investigated over two separate incidents relating to possession of a firearm in a Valencia nightclub and glassing a man over the head with a bottle. — SI.com, "Villarreal Defender Ruben Semedo Arrested for a Third Time for Kidnap and Assault Operation," 20 Feb. 2018 Steps away, in a separate room with a door, the toilet and glassed-in shower got illumination from a skylight. — Sara Lieberman, New York Times, "In Mexico, a Former Factory Is an Artful Hotel," 31 Mar. 2018 Sherman Samuel suggested a Pink Marble pattern from her Lulu & Georgia wallpaper collection for the more intimate glassed-in showroom, with flooring that's a vinyl decal from Atrafloor but looks like stone and brass inlay from a distance. — Jessica Ritz, latimes.com, "A DTLA jewelry designer's studio and showroom get a shining makeover," 26 May 2018 The stunning bathrooms combine tumbled marble, travertine, and glassed-in showers with multiple body sprays. — Joan Walden, courant.com, "Property of the Week: 485 Deercliff Road, Avon," 20 Oct. 2017 The sidewalk tables were filled with couples, families filled the glassed-in terrace, old friends lined the bar. — Michael Kiefer, azcentral, "Paris terrorist attacks didn't crush the spirit of the 11th Arrondissement," 10 May 2018 The Voodoo Lounge, located on the northeast wing, fuses sports bar culture and live music with trivia nights and video poker. The glassed-in patio space seats up to 56 guests. — Patrick Z. Mcgavin, Daily Southtown, "Guide to outdoor dining in Chicago suburbs: Chuck's Southern Comforts Cafe in Burbank," 9 July 2018 Framery, an 8-year-old Finnish company, introduced its own napping pod at NeoCon, a variation on its glassed-in, soundproof meeting pod. The $20,000 NapQ features two cushioned chairs that transform into a bed. — Robert Channick, chicagotribune.com, "Office napping climbs out from under the desk and into high-tech pods," 5 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'glass.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Statistics for glass

Last Updated

17 Jan 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for glass

The first known use of glass was before the 12th century

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More Definitions for glass

glass

noun

English Language Learners Definition of glass

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a hard usually transparent material that is used for making windows and other products

: a drinking container made out of glass

: the amount held by a glass container

glass

verb

English Language Learners Definition of glass (Entry 2 of 2)

: to fit, protect, or enclose (something) with glass

See the full definition for glass in the English Language Learners Dictionary

glass

noun

\ ˈglas

Kids Definition of glass

1 : a hard brittle usually transparent substance commonly made from sand heated with chemicals

2 : a drinking container made of glass

3 glasses plural : a pair of glass or plastic lenses held in a frame and used to help a person see clearly or to protect the eyes

4 : the contents of a glass a glass of milk

glass

noun, often attributive

\ ˈglas

Medical Definition of glass

1a : an amorphous inorganic usually transparent or translucent substance consisting of a mixture of silicates or sometimes borates or phosphates formed by fusion of silica or of oxides of boron or phosphorus with a flux and a stabilizer into a mass that cools to a rigid condition without crystallization

b : a substance resembling glass especially in hardness and transparency organic glasses made from plastics

2a : an optical instrument or device that has one or more lenses and is designed to aid in the viewing of objects not readily seen

b glasses plural : a device used to correct defects of vision or to protect the eyes that consists typically of a pair of glass or plastic lenses and the frame by which they are held in place

— called also eyeglasses