glossy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈglä-sē 

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

ˈglä-sə-lē 

ˈglȯ-

adverb

glossiness

ˈglä-sē-nəs 

ˈglȯ-

noun

glossy

2 of 2

noun

plural glossies

1

: a photograph printed on smooth shiny paper

2

chiefly British : slick sense 5

Synonyms

Adjective

• buffed
• burnished
• glistening
• lustrous
• polished
• rubbed
• satin
• satiny
• sleek

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

This week, Billie Eilish returns in shades of blue with her third studio album, Saweetie is unstoppable in a glossy new single, and Omar Apollo puts his heart on his sleeve on the first peek into his next project. —Rolling Stone, 17 May 2024

That’s how the ROG Ally X looks from the front: same big screen bezels, same glossy cover glass, same button layout, same speaker placement, almost the same exact shape throughout. —Sean Hollister, The Verge, 16 May 2024

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

Kids Definition

glossy

adjective

ˈgläs-ē,

ˈglȯs-

glossier; glossiest

: having a surface luster or brightness

glossiness noun