luster
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to luster: Mineral Luster
lus·ter
(lŭs′tər)n.
1. Soft reflected light; sheen.
2. Brilliance or radiance of light; brightness.
3. Glory, radiance, distinction, or splendor, as of achievement, reputation, or beauty.
4. A glass pendant, especially on a chandelier.
5. A decorative object, such as a chandelier, that gives off light.
6. Any of various substances, such as wax or glaze, used to give an object a gloss or polish.
7. The surface glossiness of ceramic ware after glazing, especially the metallic sheen of lusterware.
8. A fabric having a glossy surface.
9. The appearance of a mineral surface judged by its brilliance and ability to reflect light.
v. lus·tered, lus·ter·ing, lus·ters
v.tr.
1. To give a gloss, glaze, or sheen to.
2. To give or add glory, radiance, distinction, or splendor to.
v.intr.
To be or become lustrous.
[French lustre, from Old French, from Old Italian lustro, from lustrare, to make bright, from Latin lūstrāre, from lūstrum, purification; see leuk- in Indo-European roots.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
lus•ter1
(ˈlʌs tər)n.
1. the state or quality of shining by reflecting light: the luster of satin.
2. a substance, as a coating or polish, used to impart sheen or gloss.
3. radiant or luminous brightness; brilliance.
4. radiance of beauty, excellence, distinction, or glory: achievements that add luster to one's name.
5. a shining ornament, as a cut-glass pendant.
6. a chandelier, candleholder, etc., ornamented with cut-glass pendants.
7. any fabric with a lustrous finish.
8. an iridescent metallic film produced on the surface of a ceramic glaze.
9. the nature of a mineral surface with respect to its reflective qualities.
v.t. 10. to finish (fur, cloth, pottery, etc.) with a luster or gloss.
[1515–25; < Middle French lustre < Italian lustro, derivative of lustrare to polish, purify < Latin lūstrāre to purify ceremonially]
lus′ter•less, adj.
lus•ter2
(ˈlʌs tər)n.
[1375–1425; lustre < Latin]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
lus·ter
(lŭs′tər) The shine from the surface of a mineral. Luster is important in describing different kinds of minerals. It is usually characterized as metallic, glassy, pearly, or dull.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
lustrum, luster, lustre
a period of five years.
See also: Calendar-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
luster
Past participle: lustered
Gerund: lustering
| Imperative |
|---|
| luster |
| luster |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  luster - a quality that outshines the usual brightness - the location of a visual perception along a continuum from black to white |
| 2. | luster - the visual property of something that shines with reflected light radiancy, refulgence, refulgency, shine, effulgence, radiance - the quality of being bright and sending out rays of light | |
| 3. | luster - a surface coating for ceramics or porcelain glaze - a coating for ceramics, metal, etc. |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
luster
noun1. A radiant brightness or glow, usually due to light reflected from a smooth surface:
2. A position of exalted widely recognized importance:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
lustre
(American) luster (ˈlastə) noun shininess or brightness. Her hair had a brilliant lustre.
ˈlustrous (-trəs) adjectiveKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.