gloss

UK: /ˈglɒs/ US: /glɑs, glɔs/ ,(glos, glôs)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

gloss¹ /glɑs, glɔs/   n. [uncountable]

1. a luster or shine on the surface of something;
   glaze:
   the gloss of satin.
2. a falsely good appearance.
3. Clothing a cosmetic that adds sheen or luster, esp. lip gloss

v. [~ + object]

4. to put a gloss on:
   glossed her lips.
5. gloss over, to give a falsely good appearance to:
   to gloss over someone's mistakes.

gloss² /glɑs, glɔs/   n. [countable]

1. an explanation or translation, by means of a note in the margin of a text.

v. [~ + object]

2. to insert glosses on.

See -glot-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

gloss¹  (glos, glôs), n. 

1. a superficial luster or shine;
   glaze:
   the gloss of satin.
2. a false or deceptively good appearance.
3. Also, glosser. a cosmetic that adds sheen or luster, esp. one for the lips.

v.t. 

4. to put a gloss upon.
5. to give a false or deceptively good appearance to:
   to gloss over flaws in the woodwork.

• probably akin to Dutch gloos glowing, Middle High German glosen to glow, shine, Swedish dialect, dialectal glysa to shine 1530–40

gloss′less, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. See polish. 
• 2. front, pretense.

gloss²  (glos, glôs), n. 

1. an explanation or translation, by means of a marginal or interlinear note, of a technical or unusual expression in a manuscript text.
2. a series of verbal interpretations of a text.
3. a glossary.
4. an artfully misleading interpretation.

v.t. 

5. to insert glosses on;
   annotate.
6. to place (a word) in a gloss.
7. to give a specious interpretation of;
   explain away (often fol. by over or away):
   to gloss over a serious problem with a pat solution.

v.i. 

8. to make glosses.

• Medieval Latin glōssāre, derivative of glōsa; compare gloze, reflecting Old French pronunciation, pronounced of verb
• Greek glôssa word requiring explanation, literally, language, tongue; (verb, verbal) Middle English glosen
• Medieval Latin glōsa, glōza
• Old French glose)
• (noun, nominal) Middle English glose (1250–1300

gloss′ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 1. comment, annotation.
• 2. commentary, critique, exegesis, explication.
• 5. explain, interpret, analyze, explicate.

gloss-, 

1. var. of glosso- before a vowel:
   glossectomy.

gloss., 

1. glossary.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

gloss / ɡlɒs/ noun

1. lustre or sheen, as of a smooth surface
2. (as modifier): gloss paint
3. a superficially attractive appearance
5. a cosmetic preparation applied to the skin to give it a faint sheen

verb

1. to give a gloss to or obtain a gloss

Etymology: 16th Century: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Icelandic glossi flame, Middle High German glosen to glow

ˈglosser noun

gloss / ɡlɒs/ noun

1. a short or expanded explanation or interpretation of a word, expression, or foreign phrase in the margin or text of a manuscript, etc
2. an intentionally misleading explanation or interpretation
3. short for glossary

verb (transitive)

1. to add glosses to

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin glōssa unusual word requiring explanatory note, from Ionic Greek

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

glosso-, 

1. a combining form meaning "tongue, word, speech,'' used in the formation of compound words:
   glossology.
   Also, glotto-. 

Also,[esp. before a vowel,] gloss-. 

• Greek (Ionic), combining form of glôssa