gloss

See also gloss-, and Help:Glosses

English

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ɡlɒs/, SAMPA: /glQs/
• (US) IPA: /ɡlɑs/, /glɔs/, SAMPA: /glAs/, /glOs/
• Rhymes: -ɒs

Etymology 1

From Icelandic glossi (“a blaze”).

Noun

Wikipedia gloss (countable and uncountable; plural glosses)

1. (uncountable) A surface shine or luster/lustre
2. (uncountable, figuratively) A superficially or deceptively attractive appearance

Synonyms

• (surface shine): brilliance, gleam, luster/lustre, sheen, shine
• (superficially or deceptively attractive appearance): façade, front, veneer

Related terms

• glossy

Translations

surface shine

Czech: lesk (cs) m.

Finnish: kiilto (fi) German: Glanz (de)

superficially or deceptively attractive appearance

Czech: pozlátko (cs) n., lesk (cs) m.

Finnish: pintakiilto (fi)

Verb

gloss (third-person singular simple present glosses, present participle glossing, simple past and past participle glossed)

1. (transitive) To give a gloss or sheen to.
2. (transitive) To make (something) attractive by deception
3. (intransitive) To become shiny.

Synonyms

• (give a gloss or sheen to): polish, shine
• (make (something) attractive by deception):
• (become shiny):

Translations

give a gloss or sheen to

Finnish: kiillottaa (fi)

German: polieren (de)

make (something) attractive by deception

become shiny

Etymology 2

From Late Latin glossa (“an obsolete or foreign difficult word requiring explanation, later applied to explanation itself”), from Ancient Greek γλῶσσα (glōssa, “tongue, language, an obsolete or foreign word requiring explanation”).

Noun

Wikipedia gloss (plural glosses)

1. (countable) A brief explanatory note or translation of a difficult or complex expression, usually inserted in the margin or between lines of a text.
2. (countable) A glossary; a collection of such notes.
3. (countable) An extensive commentary on some text.
4. (countable) A deliberately misleading explanation.
5. (countable) A brief explanation in speech or in a written work, including a synonym used with the intent of indicating the meaning of the word to which it is applied
6. (countable) (law, US) An interpretation by a court of specific point within a statute or case law
   • 2007 Bruce R. Hopkins. The law of tax-exempt organizations. p. 76

     Judicial Gloss on Test [section title]

   • 1979 American Bar Foundation. Annotated code of professional responsibility. p. ix

     This volume is thus not a narrowly defined treatment of the Code of Professional Responsibility but rather represents a "common law" gloss on it.

Synonyms

• (brief explanatory note or translation of a difficult or complex expression): explanation, note
• (glossary): glossary, lexicon
• (extensive commentary on some text): commentary, discourse, discussion
• (deliberately misleading explanation): deception, lie

Related terms

• glossary

Translations

brief explanatory note or translation of a difficult or complex expression

Finnish: selitys (fi) French: glose (fr) f.

Portuguese: glosa (pt) f. Spanish: glosa (es)

glossary

Finnish: sanasto (fi)

Portuguese: glossário (pt) m.

extensive commentary on some text

Finnish: selitys (fi)

deliberately misleading explanation

Finnish: selitys (fi)

Verb

gloss (third-person singular simple present glosses, present participle glossing, simple past and past participle glossed)

1. (transitive) To add a gloss to (a text).
2. (transitive) To give a deliberately false interpretation of.

Synonyms

• (add a gloss to): annotate, mark up
• (give a deliberately false interpretation of): misrepresent

Translations

to add a gloss to (a text)

Finnish: selittää (fi)

to give a deliberately false interpretation of

Finnish: selittää (fi)

External links

• gloss in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• gloss in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

Anagrams

• slogs