glutinous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of glutinous
1375–1425; late Middle English; < Latin glūtinōsus gluey, sticky. See gluten, -ous
Explanation
When you step in a glutinous substance, some of it will stick to your shoe and stretch as you step up. Glutinous means glue-like, or thick and sticky. The Latin word for glue was gluten, which is now the name of a substance found in wheat. Gluten is what makes pizza or bread dough stretchy and gooey, or glutinous. If you're baking a cake, you shouldn't mix it too much or it could become glutinous, or tough. When someone is on a gluten-free diet, it means they cannot eat wheat or other grains that contain gluten.
Vocabulary lists containing glutinous
Inside Out & Back Again
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "G"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
All The Feels: Touching Words For Textures
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
I started making pancakes with thinner and thinner batter, and replaced all-purpose flour with glutinous rice flour.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026
When “Dandelion Wine” came out, a critic charged Bradbury with that exact sin, panning him for “diving with arms spread into the glutinous pool of sentimentality.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2024
When he invited her to eat tangyuan - or glutinous rice balls - at his home with him and his flatmate, she agreed.
From BBC • Jul. 20, 2023
The three types were glutinous rice, medium grain rice and jasmine rice.
From Salon • Jun. 13, 2023
Behind her they heard the gloop gloop of the bubbling, glutinous potion.
From "Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets" by J. K. Rowling
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.
