gossamer

[ gos-uh-mer ]

/ ˈgɒs ə mər /

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See synonyms for: gossamer / gossamers on Thesaurus.com

noun

a fine, filmy cobweb seen on grass or bushes or floating in the air in calm weather, especially in autumn.

a thread or strand of a filmy cobweb seen outdoors.

an extremely delicate variety of gauze, used especially for veils.

any thin, light fabric.

something extremely light, flimsy, or delicate: The viper appeared to be midway through sloughing off its skin, half covered as it was with a thin gossamer of its former outer self.

a thin, waterproof outer garment, especially for women, popular in the late 19th century.

adjective

Also gos·sa·mer·y

[gos-uh-muh-ree], /ˈgɒs ə mə ri/, gos·sa·mered. of or like gossamer; extremely light, flimsy, or delicate: Did you notice this dragonfly's gossamer wings? Perhaps our hopes are gossamer dreams, strung together with wishful thinking.

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Origin of gossamer

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English gos(s)esomer, gossummer “filmy substance made of cobwebs; fine filament; something trivial”; possibly first used as a name for late, mild autumn, a time when goose was a favorite dish (compare German Gänsemonat “November”), then transferred to the cobwebs frequent at that time of year

Words nearby gossamer

Gosplan, gospodin, gosport, goss, Gossaert, gossamer, gossan, Gosse, gossip, gossipmonger, gossipy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gossamer in a sentence

Named cardiac nexus glia, these cells appear early in zebrafish development and go on to spread out and form a gossamer-thin web around the heart, Smith and Kikel-Coury reported last year in PLOS Biology.
Glial cells may take on big jobs in unexpected parts of the body|Laura Sanders|June 2, 2022|Science News
The Levity’s only feature is a single pocket, and we took extra care with the delicate zippers and gossamer fabric.
The Best Jackets of 2022|jversteegh|October 26, 2021|Outside Online
Wanna’s Christo-like “Within Without” encloses the stairway entrance to the second-floor gallery in gossamer fabric, outlined by floor-level light strips.
In the galleries: A towering exhibit offers a new definition of domestic life|Mark Jenkins|January 1, 2021|Washington Post
Sea butterflies flit through the ocean on gossamer wings, each species with a style of its own.
Sea butterflies’ shells determine how the snails swim|Maria Temming|September 8, 2020|Science News

When the short-skirted, gossamer clad nymphs made their appearance on the stage they became restless and fidgety.
The Book of Anecdotes and Budget of Fun;|Various
Mackintoshes, vulcanized india-rubber, gutta-percha, and gossamer dust-coats unknown then.
The Portsmouth Road and Its Tributaries|Charles G. Harper
But look at the difference here: after dinner here one is as light as a gossamer.
Little Travels and Roadside Sketches|William Makepeace Thackeray
Her dress was of finest work, its texture thin as gossamer; pure white with here and there a silken knot of blue.
The Devil-Tree of El Dorado|Frank Aubrey
Everywhere were threads of water, threads of snow, and little threads of dewy green, glistening like gossamer.
Villa Rubein and Other Stories|John Galsworthy

British Dictionary definitions for gossamer

gossamer

/ (ˈɡɒsəmə) /

noun

a gauze or silk fabric of the very finest texture

a filmy cobweb often seen on foliage or floating in the air

anything resembling gossamer in fineness or filminess

(modifier) made of or resembling gossamergossamer wings

Derived forms of gossamer

gossamery, adjective

Word Origin for gossamer

C14 (in the sense: a filmy cobweb): probably from gos goose 1 + somer summer 1; the phrase refers to St Martin's summer, a period in November when goose was traditionally eaten; from the prevalence of the cobweb in the autumn; compare German Gänsemonat, literally: goosemonth, used for November

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

gossamer

Origin of gossamer

Words nearby gossamer

Words related to gossamer

How to use gossamer in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gossamer

Derived forms of gossamer

Word Origin for gossamer