English Reference
adjective

glorious

adj.
US /ˈɡɫɔɹiəs/ UK /ɡlˈɔːɹɪəs/ glo·ri·ous

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    very beautiful, bright, or impressive to look at.

    possessing or displaying great beauty, splendour, or magnificence.

    Simple

    We sat on the beach and watched a glorious sunset over the ocean.

    In context

    The cathedral's interior was a glorious display of Gothic architecture, with light streaming through the intricate stained-glass windows.

  2. 02 B1 Intermediate

    completely enjoyable or wonderful.

    highly delightful or excellent; often used to describe weather or personal experiences.

    Simple

    It was a glorious day for a walk in the park.

    In context

    After weeks of rain, the residents finally enjoyed a glorious weekend of sunshine and outdoor festivities.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate

    deserving great fame, praise, or honour.

    conferring or worthy of glory, renown, or high honour.

    Simple

    The army returned home after a glorious victory in battle.

    In context

    The historian argued that the revolution was less a glorious triumph of the people and more a calculated political shift.

    shamefulignominious

He had a glorious start to his senior coaching career in 2024-25 when he led Union Saint-Gilloise to their first Belgian title since 1935.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

The soundtrack is spot on, featuring aural madeleines by the Prodigy, Josh Wink, Jaydee and, in one glorious peak moment, some choral Debussy.

The Guardian· 17 Aug 2026

From Middle English glorious, from Anglo-Norman glorius and Old French glorïos, from Latin glōriōsus. Displaced native Middle English wulderful, from Old English wuldorfull (“glorious”), among other terms. Equivalent to glory + -ous.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin glōriōsus
Level C1 · Advanced
Frequency Common
Updated