gloss

noun

an outward or token appearance or form that is deliberately misleading

the property of being smooth and shiny

an alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized field of knowledge

an explanation or definition of an obscure word in a text

verb

give a deceptive explanation or excuse for

provide an interlinear translation of a word or phrase

provide interlinear explanations for words or phrases

give a shine or gloss to, usually by rubbing

Roots

glossagloss- · Greek · tongue, word

Synonyms for gloss

glossinessn burnishn semiglossn polishv colorn lacquern glossaryn shininessn lustern sheenn glazen tintv

Synonyms & related words for gloss

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of gloss — including glossiness, burnish, semigloss, polish, color, lacquer. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to gloss

Explore words related to gloss — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include regloss, glossographical, glossography, apostil, glossarial, glossator, glossy, gloze. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for gloss

Common synonyms for gloss include glossiness, burnish, semigloss, polish, color, lacquer, glossary, shininess — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does gloss come from?

The word gloss breaks down into one root of Greek origin: the root gloss-, from Greek glossa (“tongue, word”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.