glossy
gb/ɡlˈɔsi/ us/ɡlˈɔsi/
B1
English
~ 9700
fényes, csillogó, fényes papírra nyomott, tetszetős, de felszínes, csillogó-villogó, felszínes, színes magazin, fényes papírra nyomott magazin
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[something] is glossy / glossy [noun]
Her glossy black hair shone in the sunlight.
Fényes fekete haja csillogott a napfényben.
The table had a glossy surface that showed every fingerprint.
Az asztal fényes felületén minden ujjlenyomat meglátszott.
He painted the door with a glossy red paint to make it stand out.
The plant’s glossy green leaves made it look very healthy.
The car’s glossy finish made it look brand new.
Learner examples
The dog’s coat is soft and glossy.
A kutya szőre puha és fényes.
She likes to wear glossy red lipstick.
Szeret fényes piros rúzst viselni.
The floor is glossy, so be careful when it is wet.
I bought a glossy black phone.
These apples have glossy, dark red skins.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"my hair is gloss"* instead of *"my hair is glossy"*. Use "glossy" as an adjective for things that look shiny; "gloss" is usually a noun (for example, "lip gloss").
Meaning
smooth and shiny in appearance
Collocations
glossy hair
|glossy surface
|glossy leaves
|glossy finish
|glossy paint
|glossy lipstick
Synonyms
shiny (More general and common; does not always suggest a very smooth surface.)
|
lustrous (More formal and literary, often used for hair or high-quality materials.)
Antonyms
dull (Lacking shine or brightness; often sounds more negative than 'matte'.)
|
matte (Describes a surface that does not shine or reflect light.)
Themes
appearance
|materials
|nature
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
smooth and very shiny, so that it reflects light
Having a very smooth surface that reflects a lot of light, so that it looks shiny and polished.
B2
2
Usage pattern:
glossy [magazine/brochure/photo]
The company printed a glossy brochure to promote its new product line.
A cég fényes papírra nyomott brosúrát készíttetett, hogy népszerűsítse új termékcsaládját.
She was featured on the cover of a glossy fashion magazine.
Egy fényes papírra nyomott divatmagazin címlapján szerepelt.
We ordered glossy photos for the wedding album.
The travel agency sent us a glossy catalog full of beach resorts.
He prefers glossy prints because the colors look more vibrant.
Learner examples
I bought a glossy travel magazine at the airport.
Vettem egy fényes papírra nyomott utazási magazint a repülőtéren.
They gave us a glossy brochure about the school.
Adtak nekünk egy fényes papírra nyomott brosúrát az iskoláról.
We printed our holiday photos on glossy paper.
This book has many glossy color pages.
She keeps a glossy food magazine on the coffee table.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "glossy magazine" only means "fancy" or "expensive". It mainly refers to the shiny paper, though it often also suggests a stylish, image-focused design.
Meaning
printed on shiny paper
Collocations
glossy magazine
|glossy brochure
|glossy photo
|glossy catalog
|glossy flyer
Synonyms
shiny (Describes the look of the paper but does not specifically mean a printing or paper type.)
|
coated (Technical printing term meaning the paper has a special surface; may or may not look very shiny.)
Antonyms
matte (Describes paper or photos with a non-shiny, flat surface.)
|
uncoated (Technical printing term for paper without a glossy surface treatment.)
Themes
media
|business
|art
|communication
Definition
printed on paper that is smooth and shiny
Printed on paper that has a smooth, shiny surface, especially for photographs, magazines, or brochures.
C1
3
Usage pattern:
glossy [image/presentation/production]
Behind the company’s glossy image, there were serious financial problems.
A cég csillogó imázsa mögött súlyos pénzügyi problémák húzódtak.
The video has a glossy production style, but the story is quite weak.
A videó látványvilága csillogó-villogó, de a története elég gyenge.
Politicians often rely on glossy campaign ads instead of real discussion.
The proposal looked glossy and professional, but it lacked concrete details.
Critics dismissed the film as glossy entertainment with nothing new to say.
Learner examples
The ad looks very glossy, but I do not trust it.
A reklám nagyon profi és tetszetős, de nem bízom benne.
The website is glossy, but the product is poor.
A weboldal csillogó-villogó, de a termék gyenge.
His speech was glossy, but he did not answer the hard questions.
The show was glossy and fun, but not very deep.
They gave a glossy presentation with many pictures and music.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this use of "glossy" is always positive because it sounds like "professional". In this sense, it is often slightly negative or critical, suggesting that something looks good but lacks real value or honesty.
Meaning
attractive but shallow or superficial
Collocations
glossy image
|glossy advertisement
|glossy production
|glossy campaign
|glossy marketing
|glossy exterior
Synonyms
slick (Very similar, but can focus more on skillful, smooth style; often also suggests lack of sincerity.)
|
flashy (Emphasizes showy appearance more than professionalism; often more negative than "glossy".)
Antonyms
substantive (Emphasizes having real content and depth rather than just an attractive surface.)
|
down-to-earth (Informal; suggests simple, practical, and not showy or over-polished.)
Themes
opinions
|media
|business
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
looking very nice and professional, but not deep, serious, or honest inside
Attractive, stylish, and highly polished in appearance or presentation, but lacking real depth, seriousness, or honesty.
NOUN
C1
4
Usage pattern:
a [fashion/celebrity] glossy
She works for a glossy that covers celebrity news and fashion.
Egy olyan színes magazinnál dolgozik, amely hírességekkel és divattal foglalkozik.
The hotel lobby was full of travel glossies and design magazines.
A szálloda előcsarnoka tele volt színes utazási magazinokkal és dizájnmagazinokkal.
He dreams of getting his photos published in a top fashion glossy.
The article first appeared in a glossy aimed at young professionals.
Unlike the glossies, the paper focuses on serious investigative stories.
Learner examples
She bought a glossy at the train station.
Vett egy színes magazint a pályaudvaron.
He wants to write for a fashion glossy.
Egy színes divatmagazinnak szeretne írni.
The table had many glossies for guests to read.
Her photos were printed in a famous glossy.
I read about the movie in a glossy last week.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think "a glossy" means any magazine. In everyday use, it usually means a stylish, image-heavy magazine printed on shiny paper, often about fashion, celebrities, or lifestyle.
Meaning
magazine on glossy paper
Collocations
fashion glossy
|celebrity glossy
|women's glossy
|high-end glossy
|monthly glossy
Synonyms
magazine (General word; "glossy" suggests a shiny, image-focused type of magazine.)
Antonyms
newspaper (A regular paper publication focused on news; usually printed on thin, non-glossy paper.)
Themes
media
|entertainment
|arts_entertainment
|communication
Definition
a magazine on shiny paper, usually about fashion, famous people, or lifestyle
A magazine printed on glossy paper, typically focusing on fashion, celebrities, lifestyle, or entertainment rather than hard news.
Grammar
Dictionary form
glossy
IPA
GB/ɡlˈɔsi/
US/ɡlˈɔsi/
Syllables & stress
glossy (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (glossy)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: glossy
Noun
- Base: glossy
- Plural: glossies
Word family
Forms
glossies
noun
Core family
gloss
noun
Related words
glossiness
noun
Negative and opposite forms
matte
adjective
Expressions
glossy brochure
1/ɡlˈɔsi bɹoʊʃˈʊɹ/
fixed phrase
promotional booklet on shiny paper
a small book on shiny paper that gives information to sell or promote something, with many pictures
Examples
- The hotel sent us a glossy brochure with photos of the rooms and pool.
- Every tourist office has glossy brochures advertising local attractions.
- He designed a glossy brochure to promote the new product line.
glossy magazine
1/ɡlˈɔsi mˈæɡəzˌin/
fixed phrase
lifestyle magazine on shiny paper
a magazine on shiny paper, usually with many photos and stories about fashion, lifestyle, or famous people
Examples
- She flipped through a glossy magazine while waiting for her flight.
- The article first appeared in a glossy magazine aimed at teenage girls.
- Every salon table was covered with glossy magazines about fashion and beauty.
glossy photo
1/ɡlˈɔsi fˈoʊtoʊ/
fixed phrase
shiny printed photograph
a printed photo on paper that is very smooth and shiny
Examples
- They ordered glossy photos for their wedding album.
- I prefer glossy photos because the colors look brighter.
- The photographer gave us a choice between matte and glossy photos.