- lustre or sheen, as of a smooth surface
- (as modifier): gloss paint
- a superficially attractive appearance
- a cosmetic preparation applied to the skin to give it a faint sheen
- to give a gloss to or obtain a gloss
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
gloss1 /glɑs, glɔs/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
v. [~ + object]
gloss2 /glɑs, glɔs/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
v. [~ + object]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- a luster or shine on the surface of something;
glaze:the gloss of satin. - a falsely good appearance.
- Clothinga cosmetic that adds sheen or luster, esp. lip gloss
v. [~ + object]
- to put a gloss on:glossed her lips.
- gloss over, to give a falsely good appearance to:to gloss over someone's mistakes.
gloss2 /glɑs, glɔs/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
- an explanation or translation, by means of a note in the margin of a text.
v. [~ + object]
- to insert glosses on.
gloss1
(glos, glôs),USA pronunciation n.
v.t.
gloss′less, adj.
gloss2 (glos, glôs),USA pronunciation n.
v.t.
v.i.
gloss′ing•ly, adv.
gloss-,
gloss.,
- a superficial luster or shine;
glaze:the gloss of satin. - a false or deceptively good appearance.
- Also, glosser. a cosmetic that adds sheen or luster, esp. one for the lips.
v.t.
- to put a gloss upon.
- to give a false or deceptively good appearance to:to gloss over flaws in the woodwork.
- probably akin to Dutch gloos glowing, Middle High German glosen to glow, shine, Swedish dialect, dialectal glysa to shine 1530–40
- 1. See polish. 2. front, pretense.
gloss2 (glos, glôs),USA pronunciation n.
- an explanation or translation, by means of a marginal or interlinear note, of a technical or unusual expression in a manuscript text.
- a series of verbal interpretations of a text.
- a glossary.
- an artfully misleading interpretation.
v.t.
- to insert glosses on;
annotate. - to place (a word) in a gloss.
- to give a specious interpretation of;
explain away (often fol. by over or away):to gloss over a serious problem with a pat solution.
v.i.
- to make glosses.
- Medieval Latin glōssāre, derivative of glōsa; compare gloze, reflecting Old French pronunciation, pronounced of verb
- Greek glôssa word requiring explanation, literally, language, tongue; (verb, verbal) Middle English glosen
- Medieval Latin glōsa, glōza
- Old French glose)
- (noun, nominal) Middle English glose (1250–1300
- 1. comment, annotation. 2. commentary, critique, exegesis, explication. 5. explain, interpret, analyze, explicate.
gloss-,
- var. of glosso- before a vowel:glossectomy.
gloss.,
- glossary.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
gloss /ɡlɒs/ n
gloss /ɡlɒs/ n
- a short or expanded explanation or interpretation of a word, expression, or foreign phrase in the margin or text of a manuscript, etc
- an intentionally misleading explanation or interpretation
short for glossary
- to add glosses to
glosso-,
- a combining form meaning "tongue, word, speech,'' used in the formation of compound words:glossology.Also, glotto-.
- Greek (Ionic), combining form of glôssa
'gloss' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
bloom
- blush
- flat
- French polish
- glint
- glisten
- gloss over
- glossary
- glosseme
- glosso-
- glottis
- gloze
- greenwash
- lip gloss
- lustre
- polish
- roll on
- silken
- sleek
- slur
- smooth over
- supercalender
- surface
- whitewash
- aglossia
- ankyloglossia
- aphis
- basaltware
- burnish
- decating
- degloss
- diglot
- eggshell
- fallow
- Gl
- glace
- glossal
- glossator
- glosser
- glossina
- glossitis
- glossmeter
- glossy
- glossy snake
- hypoglossal
- isogloss
- japan
- lacquer
- lexicon
- luster