adjective
-
resembling glass, esp in smoothness, slipperiness, or transparency
-
void of expression, life, or warmth
a glassy stare
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of glassy
First recorded in 1350–1400, glassy is from the Middle English word glasy. See glass, -y 1
Explanation
If your eyes are glassy, they're lifeless, glazed and emotionless. A stuffed teddy bear has glassy eyes, and so does an overtired toddler. You might spend a glassy-eyed hour every morning before you've completely woken up and are ready to start your day. You can also describe shiny, glossy substances as glassy: "The glassy surface of the ice-covered sidewalk made her walk with tiny, careful steps." Glassy comes from the Old English glæs, "glass," and its Proto-Indo-European root ghel-, "to shine."
Vocabulary lists containing glassy
Neighborhood Odes
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Spelling Practice 1, Unit 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"The discovery indicates that perhaps the first sponges were spongy but not glassy," Xiao said.
From Science Daily • Apr. 15, 2026
Mint.com founder and former CEO Aaron Patzer purchased his modern, glassy, five-bedroom home on 22 acres of oceanfront property—located about an hour’s drive north of Auckland, New Zealand—for $2 million.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
"You never forget when you first meet Paddington," Tom says, echoing a sentiment almost everyone involved tells Newsbeat with a glassy look in their eyes.
From BBC • Nov. 1, 2025
Joby Cefalu said he and his group almost immediately caught four fish when they stopped along the lake’s east shores, where he recalled glassy waters.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2025
Nearly always the sky was a glassy, brilliant azure and the sun burned down riotously bright.
From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
