glorious

English

Etymology

Anglo-Norman and Old French glorius et al., from Latin glōriōsus. Replaced native Middle English wuldrig, from Old English.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈɡlɔː.ɹi.əs/
• (US) IPA: /ˈɡlɔɹ.i.əs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːɹiəs

Adjective

glorious (comparative gloriouser or more glorious, superlative gloriousest or most glorious)

1. Exhibiting attributes, qualities, or acts that are worthy of or receive glory; noble; praiseworthy; excellent; illustrious; inspiring admiration; as, glorious deeds.
   • 1604, William Shakespeare, Othello, Act III, Scene III, line 351:

     Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump, / The spirit-stirring drum, th' ear-piercing fife, / The royal banner, and all quality, / Pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war!

   • (Can we date this quote?) John Milton:

     These are thy glorious works, Parent of good.

   • 2012 August 23, Alasdair Lamont, “Hearts 0-1 Liverpool”, BBC Sport:

     Borini missed another glorious opportunity to give his side the lead after brilliant set-up play by Sterling, but with only the exposed keeper to beat, he struck the post.

2. Splendid; resplendent; bright; shining, as the sun, gold, or other shiny objects.
   • 1590, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part II, Act III, Scene I, line 351:

     And this fell tempest shall not cease to rage / Until the golden circuit on my head, / Like to the glorious sun's transparent beams, / Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw.

3. (obsolete) Eager for glory or distinction; haughty; boastful; ostentatious; vainglorious.
   • 1609, William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, Act I, Scene VI, line 6:

     […] but most miserable / Is the desire that’s glorious: blest be those, / How mean soe’er, that have their honest wills, / Which seasons comfort. […]

4. (colloquial) Ecstatic; hilarious; elated with drink.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Robert Burns:

     […] kings may be blest, but Tam was glorious, O’er all the ills of life victorious.

   • (Can we date this quote?) John Dryden:

     During his office treason was no crime, The sons of Belial had a glorious time.

Derived terms

• gloriousness

Related terms

• glorify
• glory

Translations

exhibiting attributes, qualities, or acts that are worthy of or receive glory

• Catalan: gloriós (ca)
• Czech: slavný (cs) m
• French: glorieux (fr)
• German: ruhmvoll (de)
• Old French: glorius

• Romanian: glorios (ro)
• Russian: славный (ru) (slávnyj)
• Spanish: glorioso (es)
• Turkish: şanlı (tr)
• West Frisian: glorieus (fy)

splendid; resplendent; bright; shining

• Catalan: gloriós (ca)
• French: glorieux (fr), splendide (fr)
• German: prachtvoll (de), herrlich (de), glorreich (de)

• Russian: блистательный (ru) (blistátelʹnyj), великолепный (ru) (velikolépnyj)
• Spanish: glorioso (es)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

• Chinese: 光彩的 (guāngcǎi de)
• Dutch: roemruchtig (nl)
• Finnish: upea (fi) (1), mahtava (fi) (1), kunniakas (fi) (1)
• Greek: λαμπρός (el) (lampós)
• German: glorreich (de)

• Italian: glorioso (it)
• Japanese: 見事な, 栄光ある
• Korean: 영광스럽은 (ko) (yeong-gwangseureopeun)
• Latin: gloriosus (la)
• Old Provençal: glorios

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Old French

Alternative forms

• glorieus
• glorios
• glorius

Etymology

Latin glōriōsus.

Adjective

glorious m

1. glorious

Declension

  Declension of glorious  

Number	Case	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Singular	Subject	glorious	gloriouse	glorious
	Oblique	glorious	gloriouse	glorious
Plural	Subject	glorious	gloriouses	glorious
	Oblique	glorious	gloriouses	glorious