glossy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈglä-sē 

ˈglȯ-

glossier; glossiest

1

: having a surface luster or brightness

rich glossy leather

glossy paper

2

: attractive in an artificially opulent, sophisticated, or smoothly captivating manner : slick

lots of glossy and phony chatter

glossily

ˈglä-sə-lē 

ˈglȯ-

adverb

glossiness

ˈglä-sē-nəs 

ˈglȯ-

noun

glossy

2 of 2

noun

plural glossies

1

: a photograph printed on smooth shiny paper

2

chiefly British : slick sense 5

Synonyms

Adjective

• polished
• sleek
• glistening
• satin

Choose the Right Synonym for glossy

sleek, slick, glossy mean having a smooth bright surface or appearance.

sleek suggests a smoothness or brightness resulting from attentive grooming or physical conditioning.

a sleek racehorse

slick suggests extreme smoothness that results in a slippery surface.

slipped and fell on the slick floor

glossy suggests a highly reflective surface.

photographs having a glossy finish

Examples of glossy in a Sentence

Adjective

a plant with glossy green leaves

the glossy finish on the gym floor

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Her dark, wet hair is pushed back and out of her face, bare except for glossy lips. —Nicola Dall'asen, Allure, 19 Aug. 2025

Magnolia trees are the perfect floral accent to swap in during this time of year, as their big, dark, and glossy leaves add richer color and texture in lieu of summer’s brighter blooms. —Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Aug. 2025

Noun

In short, Wintour’s beneficiary will need to rebuild trust with a generation that doesn’t see the glossy as theirs. —Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025

The car was shown at Goodwood in a color called Ai Aqua Rainbow, with the coupe in matte and the convertible glossy. —Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 11 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

gloss entry 1 + -y entry 1

Noun

derivative of glossy entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1556, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for glossy

• aussie
• basi
• bossy
• fossae
• khasi
• lossy
• masi
• mossy
• posse
• quasi
• saucy
• bagasse

Kids Definition

glossy

adjective

ˈgläs-ē,

ˈglȯs-

glossier; glossiest

: having a surface luster or brightness

glossiness noun