glossy

/ˈglɑsi/

/ˈglɒsi/

Other forms: glossier; glossiest; glossies

Something that is glossy is something that shines or is attractive. Things that are glossy reflect light, like certain types of lipstick. Glossy paper is smooth and has a shine to it, like the paper of most calendars.

The word glossy sounds a little bit like the word glassy, which is a good way to remember it. Things that are glossy sort of look like glass, meaning they have a shine to them. After your teeth are cleaned, they'll hopefully look glossy. When you print photographs, you can choose a glossy finish — that’s when the image looks shiny and smooth. In that instance, the opposite of glossy is matte, a sort of rougher finish that doesn’t reflect light.

Definitions of glossy

1. adjective

   reflecting light
   “the horse's glossy coat”

   synonyms: glistening, lustrous, sheeny, shining, shiny

   bright

   emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
2. adjective

   (of paper and fabric and leather) having a surface made smooth and glossy especially by pressing between rollers
   “glossy paper”

   synonyms: calendered

   glazed, shiny

   having a shiny surface or coating
3. adjective

   superficially attractive and stylish; suggesting wealth or expense
   “a glossy TV series”

   synonyms: showy

   attractive

   pleasing to the eye or mind especially through beauty or charm
4. noun

   a magazine printed on good quality paper
   synonyms: slick, slick magazine

   type of:

   mag, magazine

   a periodic publication containing pictures and stories and articles of interest to those who purchase it or subscribe to it
5. noun

   a photograph that is printed on smooth shiny paper
   type of:

   exposure, photo, photograph, pic, picture

   a representation of a person or scene in the form of a print or transparent slide; recorded by a camera on light-sensitive material