luster

/ˈlʌstɚ/

//ˈlʌstɚ// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"luster" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“luster” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #30,486 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#30,486
frequency rank, English
6
letters
7
tracked misspellings
20
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The ability or condition of shining with reflected light; sheen, gleam, gloss, sparkle, shine, etc.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

luster vs lute
67% similar
luster vs lusty
67% similar
luster vs Luther
50% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for luster
PropertyValue
Headwordluster
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈlʌstɚ/
Letters6
Frequency rank#30,486
Misspellings tracked7
Confusable pairs20
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “luster” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). luster lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for luster is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˈlʌstɚ/. Corpus data places it at rank #30,486 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 14 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 7 likely wrong-spelling variants for luster, with forms such as "lluster", "lsuter", and "lusetr". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. It also participates in 20 confusable-pair relationships, "lute", "lusty", "Luther", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French lustre, from Old Italian lustro, from Old Italian lustrare (“brighten”), from Latin lūstrō (“to purify, to brighten”), from Latin lūstrum (“purification ritual”). The correct English form is luster, spelled L-U-S-T-E-R.

Definition

  1. 1
    The ability or condition of shining with reflected light; sheen, gleam, gloss, sparkle, shine, etc.
  2. 2
    The ability or condition of shining with reflected light; sheen, gleam, gloss, sparkle, shine, etc.
  3. 3
    Shining light from within, luminosity, brightness, shine.
  4. 4
    Shining beauty, splendor, attractiveness or attraction.
  5. 5
    Shining fame, renown, glory.
  6. 6
    Polish, social refinement.
  7. 7
    A thing exhibiting luster, particularly
  8. 8
    A thing exhibiting luster, particularly
  9. 9
    A thing exhibiting luster, particularly
  10. 10
    A thing exhibiting luster, particularly
  11. 11
    A thing exhibiting luster, particularly
  12. 12
    A thing exhibiting luster, particularly
  13. 13
    A thing exhibiting luster, particularly
  14. 14
    A thing exhibiting luster, particularly

Etymology

From Middle French lustre, from Old Italian lustro, from Old Italian lustrare (“brighten”), from Latin lūstrō (“to purify, to brighten”), from Latin lūstrum (“purification ritual”).

Antonyms

dullness

This word in other languages

lustre(Español)lustre(Français)Glanz(Deutsch)lustre(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: lluster,lsuter,lusetr,lusster,lusterr,lustter,lutser

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of luster - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

lluster1lsuter2lusetr2lusster1lusterr1lustter1lutser2
Edit distance from "luster"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "luster"?
"luster" is spelled L-U-S-T-E-R. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈlʌstɚ/.
What does "luster" mean?
As a noun, "luster" means: The ability or condition of shining with reflected light; sheen, gleam, gloss, sparkle, shine, etc.
What words are commonly confused with "luster"?
"luster" is commonly confused with "lute", "lusty", "Luther". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "luster"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "luster" is /ˈlʌstɚ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "luster"?
From Middle French lustre, from Old Italian lustro, from Old Italian lustrare (“brighten”), from Latin lūstrō (“to purify, to brighten”), from Latin lūstrum (“purification ritual”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “luster”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is L-U-S-T-E-R - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈlʌstɚ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “lute” - see the side-by-side comparison. luster vs lute
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list