glossy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈglä-sē How to pronounce glossy (audio)
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 adverb
glossiness noun

glossy

2 of 2

noun

plural glossies
1
: a photograph printed on smooth shiny paper
2
chiefly British : slick sense 5
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
Just don't call it a gift shop — there are rows upon rows of Stetson cowboy hats, thousand-dollar shearling coats from fashion designer Lindsey Thornburg, glossy photography books, plushies for children, and willow-bark pens made from trees that grow nearby. Samantha Falewée, Travel + Leisure, 16 Mar. 2024 Kurume Hybrids Compact, twiggy plants densely clothed in small, glossy leaves, Kurume hybrids also produce profuse amounts of small flowers. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 15 Mar. 2024 Their ovate and glossy shape made for a multifunctional tool in spiritual and cultural practice, often by way of self-adornment. Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 14 Mar. 2024 The Dune: Part Two star wore her hair slicked back with a retro wave and rocked silver eye shadow and a glossy lip. Hedy Phillips, Peoplemag, 11 Mar. 2024 Her glossy boots highly recognizable treasures from her Chloé days. Nicole Phelps, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024 The majority of the album stays true to Grande’s glossy pop roots under the tutelage of producer Max Martin, who also co-wrote many of the songs with the singer. Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 There are glossy concrete floors that give the space the feel of a polished warehouse and servers deliver plates in a comfortable uniform of plaid shirts and jeans. Detroit Free Press, 6 Mar. 2024 Here, the white dial is paired with black detailing and applied indexes, and the glossy lacquered finish is the first time such a technique has been used on the Moonwatch’s step dial. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 5 Mar. 2024
Noun
Her hair has been straightened to perfection with the ends subtly curled under, and the finish is beyond glossy. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 19 Dec. 2023 She's also shifted her approach to fitness after a career of strutting international runways and posing for fashion glossies. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 26 Nov. 2023 The Pirelli Calendar, an annual and highly anticipated fashion glossy, originated in 1964. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 30 Nov. 2023 These can even upgrade your viewing experience from a glossy and distracting one to a glare-free matte finish. WIRED, 28 Oct. 2023 Nnadi is a force to be reckoned with in the fashion industry having worked at the American glossy for over a decade starting in 2010. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 18 Sep. 2023 He's had an illustrious career in media According to IMDB, Masekela got his start working for Transworld Magazine (a skateboarding glossy now out of publication). Stephanie Sengwe, Peoplemag, 30 Aug. 2023 Every garment was the same glossy — almost wet — texture and the same shade of muted orange. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 10 Sep. 2023 Her hair, which fell loosely on her back, was given a wet look, while her skin showcased a glossy (and, well, grimy) glow. Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 4 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'glossy.' 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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of glossy was in 1556

Dictionary Entries Near glossy

Cite this Entry

“Glossy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glossy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

glossy

adjective
ˈgläs-ē,
ˈglȯs-
glossier; glossiest
: having a surface luster or brightness
glossiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on glossy

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