luster

1 of 3

noun (1)

lus·​ter ˈlə-stər 

variants or lustre

1

: a glow of reflected light : sheen

specifically : the appearance of the surface of a mineral dependent upon its reflecting qualities

the luster of polished metal

2

a

: a glow of light from within : luminosity

the luster of the stars

b

: an inner beauty : radiance

3

: a superficial (see superficial sense 2a) attractiveness or appearance of excellence

scandals have diminished his luster

4

a

: a glass pendant (see pendant sense 1a) used especially to ornament a candlestick or chandelier

b

: a decorative object (such as a chandelier) hung with glass pendants

5

chiefly British : a fabric with cotton warp and a filling of wool, mohair, or alpaca

6

: lusterware

lusterless

ˈlə-stər-ləs 

adjective

luster

2 of 3

verb

variants or lustre

lustered or lustred; lustering or lustring ˈlə-st(ə-)riŋ 

intransitive verb

: to have luster : gleam

transitive verb

1

: to give luster or distinction to

2

: to coat or treat with a substance that imparts luster

luster

3 of 3

noun (2)

variants or lustre

: a period of five years : lustrum sense 2

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• burnish
• gloss
• luminance
• polish
• sheen
• shine

Verb

• coruscate
• flame
• flash
• glance
• gleam
• glimmer
• glint
• glisten
• glister
• glitter
• scintillate
• shimmer
• spangle
• sparkle
• twinkle
• wink
• winkle

Examples of luster in a Sentence

Noun (1)

the Hope diamond is famous for its brilliant luster

on a clear night at sea the stars seem to take on a magical luster

Verb

her pearl necklace lustered softly in the candlelight of the restaurant

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The schedule will probably lessen the luster from the Clippers, who have won their last three games by an average of 34 points. —Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2025

Jackson Hole, Wyoming Don’t assume that ski-centric destinations lose their luster the moment snow starts to melt on the slopes. —Tanvi Chheda, AFAR Media, 17 Jan. 2025

Less than six months after the 2024 Paris Olympics, many athletes’ medals have already lost their luster. —Sean Neumann, People.com, 14 Jan. 2025

Well, the second season of the thriller about competitors playing kids' games to win cash and not die is now streaming, and the luster's come off a bit. —Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 27 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle French lustre, from Old Italian lustro, from lustrare to brighten, from Latin, to purify ceremonially, from lustrum

Verb

verbal derivative of luster entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English lustre, from Latin lustrum

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1522, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1528, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

luster

noun

lus·​ter

variants or lustre

ˈləs-tər

1

: a shine or sheen especially from reflected light : gloss

2

: sparkling brilliance

3

: glory entry 1 sense 1a, splendor

the luster of a famous name

lusterless

-tər-ləs

adjective

lustrous

-trəs

adjective