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

Her makeup included bold brows, a smokey eye, long lashes and a glossy, neutral lip. —Julia Teti, WWD, 31 Oct. 2024

Your once glossy locks start to lose shine, grow brittle, and look completely lackluster. —Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024

Noun

And that doesn't change the fact that executives still want to see themselves on the cover of a glossy or their company written about in a major business publication. —Eleanor Hawkins, Axios, 10 Oct. 2024

Gianni Versace did the same, changing in the late ’80s from runway mannequins to the kind of models who ignited the pages of the glossies as a Versace show became less about the clothes and more about Christy, Naomi, Linda, and Cindy wearing the clothes. —Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 17 Sep. 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