# gloss

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɡlɒs/ · frequency rank #15,620

## Definitions
1. A surface shine or luster.
2. A superficially or deceptively attractive appearance.

## Etymology
Probably from a North Germanic language, compare Icelandic glossi (“spark, flame”), glossa (“to flame”); or perhaps from dialectal Dutch gloos (“a glow, flare”), related to West Frisian gloeze (“a glow”), Middle Low German glȫsen (“to smoulder, glow”), German glosen (“to smoulder”); ultimately from Proto-Germanic *glus- (“to glow, shine”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰel- (“to flourish; be green or yellow”). More at glow.

## Easily confused with
- **goes** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-goes)
- **gods** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-gods)
- **glow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-glow)
- **gosh** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-gosh)
- **goss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-goss)
- **gots** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-gots)
- **guess** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-guess)
- **goods** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-goods)
- **gross** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-gross)
- **grass** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-grass)
- **grows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-grows)
- **goose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-goose)
- **glove** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-glove)
- **glows** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-glows)
- **gloves** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-gloves)
- **glossy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-glossy)
- **grosse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/gloss-vs-grosse)
- **GLO** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glo-vs-gloss)
- **glass** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glass-vs-gloss)
- **ghost** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ghost-vs-gloss)

## Common misspellings (6)
`ggloss`, `glloss`, `glos`, `glsos`, `golss`, `lgoss`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/gloss