lip gloss

American

Or lipgloss

noun

a cosmetic used to give shine, and often a tint, to the lips.

lip gloss British

noun

a cosmetic preparation applied to the lips to give a sheen

"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

Etymology

Origin of lip gloss

First recorded in 1935–40

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.

She put on lip gloss midway, popped a breath mint, offered me one too.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

As brands sell children eyeshadow, lip gloss and skincare, parents face a dilemma: How young is too young to expose children to beauty?

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 1, 2025

You do stand-up, you are on “The Daily Show,” you act, you have your own lip gloss company.

From Salon • Feb. 22, 2024

A makeup aficionado who enjoys buying lip gloss and blush, Ms. West has racked up hundreds of loyalty points at Ulta, the beauty retailer.

From New York Times • Dec. 9, 2023

“The lip gloss is new, so it seems like a solid guess that a girl’s been living there recently.”

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023