glossy

play

adjective \ ˈglä-sē , ˈglȯ- \

Definition of glossy

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

play \ˈglä-sə-lē, ˈglȯ-\ adverb

—

glossiness

play \ˈglä-sē-nəs, ˈglȯ-\ noun

See glossy defined for English-language learners

See glossy defined for kids

Examples of glossy in a Sentence

a plant with glossy green leaves
the glossy finish on the gym floor

Recent Examples of glossy from the Web

Florists and greenhouses in Charleston make their magnolia wreaths huge, sometimes almost the whole width of a front door, bristling with both the glossy forest green and the matte mahogany sides of the leaves to add contrasting texture.

— aaron gilbreath, Longreads, "Reflections of an Accidental Florist," 28 Aug. 2017
Gradually beat in sugar, beating until glossy peaks form.

— philip potempa, Post-Tribune, "Birthday honor includes some famous shared names," 11 Aug. 2017
Toss: Add red pepper and wilted greens to the skillet, and toss until glossy and hot, about 5 minutes.

— leah eskin, The Seattle Times, "How to tame mustard greens to sweet and spicy perfection," 19 July 2017
A non-venomous, docile snake, the Eastern indigo gets its name from its lustrous, glossy, iridescent blue-black coloring of the head and body.

— special to al.com, AL.com, "Auburn scientists release 26 of North America's longest snakes into forest," 19 July 2017
Toss: Add red pepper and wilted greens to the skillet, and toss until glossy and hot, about 5 minutes.

— leah eskin, The Seattle Times, "How to tame mustard greens to sweet and spicy perfection," 19 July 2017
Soft, simple green milk glass balances the hot corals and oranges in the mix, while glossy metals pop against the lush greens.

— House Beautiful, "This "Overgrown" Tablescape Looks Like an Enchanted Garden," 17 July 2017
Here's how to make a batch of 10: Toast ¼ cup juniper berries in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant and skins are very glossy, about 1 minute.

— nikita richardson, Bon Appetit, "These Gin Popsicles Will Get You Through Summer," 12 July 2017
Helmets are glossy and stationary, which is good for shaky amateur iPhone photographers.

— adam sparks, The Courier-Journal, "SEC Media Days: Best and worst of Day 1," 10 July 2017

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

First Known Use of glossy

1556

glossy Synonyms

Synonyms

buffed, burnished, glistening, lustrous, polished, rubbed, satin, satiny, sleek

Antonyms

dim, dull, flat, lusterless, matte (also mat or matt)

Related Words

brushed, eggshell, semigloss, semilustrous; silken, silky, slick, slippery; glassy, glazed, lacquered, shellacked, varnished; gleaming, glittering, reflective, shining

Near Antonyms

lackluster; unvarnished

Synonym Discussion of 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

Other Paper Terms

folio, palimpsest, quire, ream

glossy

noun

Definition of glossy

plural glossies

1 :a photograph printed on smooth shiny paper

2 chiefly British :slick 4

See glossy defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of glossy from the Web

Photo printers like the HP Sprocket turn your smartphone's snaps into tangible glossies for decorating your dorm room or hanging on a fridge.

— lisa eadicicco, Time, "15 Gadgets That Every Student Needs," 25 Aug. 2017
While there have been plenty of magazines that are outlaw in spirit (like, say, Thrasher, for skateboarders), High Times was the rare glossy devoted to a pursuit that violated federal law.

— alex williams, New York Times, "High Times Wants to Be the Playboy of Pot," 2 Apr. 2016

First Known Use of glossy

1928

Other Pictures (on film) Terms

daguerreotype, emulsion, fill, sepia, still, stop

GLOSSY Defined for English Language Learners

glossy

play

adjective

Definition of glossy for English Language Learners

: having a shiny, smooth surface

glossy

noun

Definition of glossy for English Language Learners

: a photograph with a shiny surface
: a popular magazine that is printed on smooth and shiny paper

GLOSSY Defined for Kids

glossy

play

adjective \ ˈglä-sē , ˈglȯ- \

Definition of glossy for Students

glossier; glossiest

:having a shiny, smooth surface

glossy paint

Learn More about glossy

See words that rhyme with glossy Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for glossy Spanish Central: Translation of glossy Nglish: Translation of glossy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of glossy for Arabic speakers

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glossy Synonyms

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Related Words

Near Antonyms

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Other Paper Terms

glossy

Definition of glossy

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First Known Use of glossy

Other Pictures (on film) Terms

GLOSSY Defined for English Language Learners

glossy

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glossy

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