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gloss 1 (glôs, glŏs)
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n.
1. A surface shininess or luster.
2. A kind of paint that dries to a shiny finish.
3. A cosmetic that adds shine or luster, such as lip gloss.
4. A superficially or deceptively attractive appearance or good reputation: The firm lost some of its gloss when its investments performed poorly.
tr.v. glossed, gloss·ing, gloss·es
1. To give a bright sheen or luster to.
2. To apply a gloss to: glossed her lips.
Phrasal Verb:
gloss over
To make attractive or acceptable by deception or superficial treatment: a résumé that glossed over the applicant's lack of experience.
[Perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Icelandic glossi, a spark; see ghel-2 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
 
gloss 2 (glôs, glŏs)
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n.
1.
a. A brief explanatory note or translation of a difficult or technical expression usually inserted in the margin or between lines of a text or manuscript.
b. A collection of such notes; a glossary.
2. An extensive commentary, often accompanying a text or publication.
3. A purposefully misleading interpretation or explanation.
tr.v. glossed, gloss·ing, gloss·es
1. To provide (an expression or a text) with a gloss or glosses.
2. To give a false interpretation to.
[Middle English glose, from Old French, from Medieval Latin glōsa, from Latin glōssa, foreign word requiring explanation, from Greek, tongue, language.]
glosser n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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