glossy

[ glos-ee, glaw-see ]

adjective

, gloss·i·er, gloss·i·est.

1. having a shiny or lustrous surface.

   Synonyms: glazed, polished, shining

   Antonyms: dull

2. having a false or deceptive appearance or air, especially of experience or sophistication; specious.

noun

, plural gloss·ies.

1. slick ( def 9 ).
2. a photograph printed on glossy paper.

glossy

/ ˈɡlɒsɪ /

adjective

1. smooth and shiny; lustrous
2. superficially attractive; plausible
3. (of a magazine) lavishly produced on shiny paper and usually with many colour photographs

noun

1. Also called (US)slick an expensively produced magazine, typically a sophisticated fashion or glamour magazine, printed on shiny paper and containing high quality colour photography Compare pulp
2. a photograph printed on paper that has a smooth shiny surface

Derived Forms

• ˈglossiness, noun
• ˈglossily, adverb

Other Words From

• glossi·ly adverb
• glossi·ness noun
• non·glossy adjective
• un·glossy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of glossy¹

First recorded in 1550–60; gloss ¹ + -y ¹

Example Sentences

One person after another after another came up to me to complain about what appeared to be a glossy commercial filled with beautiful people, a beautiful mountain lion, beautiful houses, beautiful nature.

From Los Angeles Times

In a sports park next to the red walls and glossy blue tiles which surround Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, a group of pensioners are working out.

From BBC

He routinely gets a manicure and a glossy white polish applied to his fingernails.

From Los Angeles Times

"It has not, however, yet developed a human-like sense of touch that can discern, for example, a rough sheet of newspaper paper from a smooth and glossy sheet of magazine paper."

From Science Daily

The costumes of Naomi Yoshida deserve their own glossy catalog, so vibrant are the colors and so expressive the silhouettes.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bright
• gleaming
• glistening
• lustrous
• polished
• silky
• sleek
• slick