glamour

noun

glam·​our ˈgla-mər How to pronounce glamour (audio)
variants or less commonly glamor
1
: an exciting and often illusory and romantic attractiveness
the glamour of Hollywood
especially : alluring or fascinating attraction
often used attributively
glamour stock
glamour girls
whooping cranes and … other glamour birds R. T. Peterson
2
: a magic spell
the girls appeared to be under a glamourLlewelyn Powys
glamour transitive verb
glamourless adjective

Did you know?

In the Middle Ages the meaning of grammar was not restricted to the study of language, but included learning in general. Since almost all learning was couched in language not spoken or understood by the unschooled populace, it was commonly believed that such subjects as magic and astrology were included in this broad sense of grammar. Scholars were often viewed with awe and more than a little suspicion by ordinary people. This connection between grammar and magic was evident in a number of languages, and in Scotland by the 18th century a form of grammar, altered to glamer or glamour, meant “a magic spell or enchantment.” As glamour passed into more extended English usage, it came to mean “an elusive, mysteriously exciting attractiveness.”

Examples of glamour in a Sentence

She left her hometown, attracted to the glamour of the big city. an acting career filled with glitz and glamour the glamour of the movie business
Recent Examples on the Web But her glittery, earmuff-size headphones were, in the parlance, giving global glamour. Bob Morris, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024 As a fellow Pisces herself, Nyong’o effortlessly captured the Neptunian glamour this Water sign is known to bring to the silver screen. Valerie Mesa, People.com, 28 Oct. 2024 Mulrooney’s success, as a woman and an Irish immigrant with little education, was as improbable as the Fair View’s remote glamour. Melanie Haiken, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024 The festival’s full-time programming team travels year-long to festivals such as the Berlinale, Cannes, and TIFF to scout the finest work, and the weighty influence of the American Film Institute ensures the glamour and the gravitas. Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for glamour 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glamour.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

from Scots glamer, glamour, by dissimilation from grammar grammar in sense "learning, erudition," popularly associated with occult practices

First Known Use

1715, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of glamour was in 1715

Dictionary Entries Near glamour

Cite this Entry

“Glamour.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glamour. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

glamour

noun
glam·​our
variants also glamor
: romantic, exciting, and often misleading attractiveness

More from Merriam-Webster on glamour

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!