glair

or glaire

[ glair ]

noun
  1. the white of an egg.

  2. a glaze or size made of egg white.

  1. any viscous substance like egg white.

verb (used with object)
  1. to coat with glair.

Origin of glair

1
1300–50; Middle English glaire<Old French: white of an egg <Vulgar Latin *clāria; compare Latin clārus clear

Words Nearby glair

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use glair in a sentence

  • Then the fox started across the steel-gray glair, picking his steps that he might have a firm foothold.

    Kings in Exile | Sir Charles George Douglas Roberts
  • But safety lies within; and behold the atom of animated glair embarking on its struggle with the flint.

    The Life of the Fly | J. Henri Fabre
  • Bookbinders use some composition made of glair, or white of egg, which produces a very glossy appearance.

  • Take care that no glair runs on to the fore-edge when applying it or when draining it off.

  • Then plenty of glair is applied and the gold quickly and truly laid on.

British Dictionary definitions for glair

glair

/ (ɡlɛə) /


noun
  1. white of egg, esp when used as a size, glaze, or adhesive, usually in bookbinding

  2. any substance resembling this

verb
  1. (tr) to apply glair to (something)

Origin of glair

1
C14: from Old French glaire, from Vulgar Latin clāria (unattested) clear, from Latin clārus

Derived forms of glair

  • glairy or glaireous, adjective
  • glairiness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012