ENGLISH
REFERENCE

glossy

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈɡɫɔsi// UK //ɡlˈɒsi// glossy Informal

adj. having a smooth and shiny surface. You use this to describe things like high-quality paper, healthy hair, or expensive photos.

adj. characterised by a smooth, lustrous, and reflective surface. Often used to describe high-quality print media or healthy biological surfaces like fur or hair.


SIMPLE

The new magazine has a beautiful glossy cover.

CONTEXTUAL

The photographer preferred a glossy finish for the portraits to make the colors appear more vibrant and deep.

COMPLEX

While matte finishes are often preferred for gallery displays to minimize glare, commercial advertisements typically utilize glossy coatings to attract the consumer's eye with high-contrast imagery.

Synonyms
Origin

From gloss + -y.

Usage

Commonly used both attributively before a noun and predicatively after linking verbs like 'look' or 'feel'.

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