luster

1 of 3

noun (1)

lus·​ter ˈlə-stər 

variants or lustre

1

: a glow of reflected light : sheen

specifically : the appearance of the surface of a mineral dependent upon its reflecting qualities

the luster of polished metal

2

a

: a glow of light from within : luminosity

the luster of the stars

b

: an inner beauty : radiance

3

: a superficial (see superficial sense 2a) attractiveness or appearance of excellence

scandals have diminished his luster

4

a

: a glass pendant (see pendant sense 1a) used especially to ornament a candlestick or chandelier

b

: a decorative object (such as a chandelier) hung with glass pendants

5

chiefly British : a fabric with cotton warp and a filling of wool, mohair, or alpaca

6

: lusterware

lusterless

ˈlə-stər-ləs 

adjective

luster

2 of 3

verb

variants or lustre

lustered or lustred; lustering or lustring ˈlə-st(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

: to have luster : gleam

transitive verb

1

: to give luster or distinction to

2

: to coat or treat with a substance that imparts luster

luster

3 of 3

noun (2)

variants or lustre

: a period of five years : lustrum sense 2

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• burnish
• gloss
• luminance
• polish
• sheen
• shine

Verb

• coruscate
• flame
• flash
• glance
• gleam
• glimmer
• glint
• glisten
• glister
• glitter
• scintillate
• shimmer
• spangle
• sparkle
• twinkle
• wink
• winkle

Example Sentences

Verb

her pearl necklace lustered softly in the candlelight of the restaurant

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Vanney, a member of the team’s original roster in 1996, was brought back before the 2021 season to restore some of that lost luster. —Staff Writer Follow, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2023

This game lost luster after the Tide’s loss in Baton Rouge, but Lane Kiffin would still love to score a win off his former boss. —John Talty | [e-mail], al, 6 Nov. 2022

As the shiny allure of newness already begins to lose luster at some places, this is not the case for a new-ish Italian restaurant in Denton. —Dallas News, 25 Oct. 2022

That outcome, along with Golovkin’s age (40, Alvarez is 32), could have taken some of the luster off this fight. —Andrew Mahoney, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Sep. 2022

Many eulogies have been written for the Jet Age of the 1950s and '60s, when air travel was easy, fun, and glamorous, but a new category of semiprivate carriers is trying to restore some of that lost luster. —Alex Bhattacharji, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Sep. 2022

The long delay did nothing to take the luster off a pitching duel between Shane Bieber and Johnny Cueto. —Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 20 Aug. 2022

During his four-year tenure, Hefzy and his team revamped the prominent Arab fest, which had been losing luster due to political turbulence. —Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 29 Mar. 2022

Interviews with Polish drivers, on both sides of the English Channel, suggest that Britain has lost luster. —New York Times, 28 Nov. 2021

See More

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle French lustre, from Old Italian lustro, from lustrare to brighten, from Latin, to purify ceremonially, from lustrum

Verb

verbal derivative of luster entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English lustre, from Latin lustrum

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1522, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1528, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

luster

noun

lus·​ter

variants or lustre

ˈləs-tər

1

: a shine or sheen especially from reflected light : gloss

2

: sparkling brilliance

3

: glory entry 1 sense 1a, splendor

the luster of a famous name

lusterless

-tər-ləs

adjective

lustrous

-trəs

adjective