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luster - 10 dictionary results
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lus⋅ter

1  [luhs-ter]
Use luster in a Sentence
–noun
1. the state or quality of shining by reflecting light; glitter, sparkle, sheen, or gloss: the luster of satin.
2. a substance, as a coating or polish, used to impart sheen or gloss.
3. radiant or luminous brightness; brilliance; radiance.
4. radiance of beauty, excellence, merit, distinction, or glory: achievements that add luster to one's name.
5. a shining object, esp. one used for decoration, as a cut-glass pendant or ornament.
6. a chandelier, candleholder, etc., ornamented with cut-glass pendants.
7. any natural or synthetic fabric with a lustrous finish.
8. Also called metallic luster. an iridescent metallic film produced on the surface of a ceramic glaze.
9. Mineralogy. the nature of a mineral surface with respect to its reflective qualities: greasy luster.
–verb (used with object)
10. to finish (fur, cloth, pottery, etc.) with a luster or gloss.
–verb (used without object)
11. to be or become lustrous.
Also, especially British, lustre.

Origin:
1515–25; < MF lustre < It lustro, deriv. of lustrare to polish, purify < L lūstrāre to purify ceremonially, deriv. of lūstrum lustrum

Related forms:
lus⋅ter⋅less, adjective

Synonyms:
1. See polish.

Antonyms:
1. dullness.
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lus⋅ter

2  [luhs-ter]
–noun
lustrum (def. 1).
Also, especially British, lustre.

Origin:
1375–1425; late ME lustre < L lūstrum. See lustrum

lus⋅ter

3  [luhs-ter]
–noun
a person who lusts: a luster after power.
Origin:
1585–95; lust + -er 1

lus⋅trum

  [luhs-truhm]
–noun, plural -trums, -tra  [-truh] .
1. Also, luster; especially British, lustre. a period of five years.
2. Roman History. a lustration or ceremonial purification of the people, performed every five years, after the taking of the census.
Origin:
1580–90; < L lūstrum; cf. luster 1
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To luster
lus·ter   (lŭs'tər)   
n.  
  1. Soft reflected light; sheen.
  2. Brilliance or radiance of light; brightness.
  3. Glory, radiance, distinction, or splendor, as of achievement, reputation, or beauty.
  4. A glass pendant, especially on a chandelier.
  5. A decorative object, such as a chandelier, that gives off light.
  6. Any of various substances, such as wax or glaze, used to give an object a gloss or polish.
  7. The surface glossiness of ceramic ware after glazing, especially the metallic sheen of lusterware.
  8. A fabric, such as alpaca, having a glossy surface.
  9. The appearance of a mineral surface judged by its brilliance and ability to reflect light.
v.   lus·tered, lus·ter·ing, lus·ters

v.   tr.
  1. To give a gloss, glaze, or sheen to.
  2. To give or add glory, radiance, distinction, or splendor to.
v.   intr.
To be or become lustrous.

[French lustre, from Old French, from Old Italian lustro, from lustrare, to make bright, from Latin lūstrāre, from lūstrum, purification; see leuk- in Indo-European roots.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Luster

Lust"er\, n. One who lusts.

Luster

Lus"ter\, Lustre \Lus"tre\, n. [F. lustre; cf. It. lustro; both fr. L. lustrare to purify, go about (like the priests at the lustral sacrifice), traverse, survey, illuminate, fr. lustrum a purificatory sacrifice; perh. akin to E. loose. But lustrare to illuminate is perh. a different word, and akin to L. lucere to be light or clear, to shine. See Lucid, and cf. Illustrious, Lustrum.]

1. Brilliancy; splendor; brightness; glitter.

The right mark and very true luster of the diamond. --Sir T. More.

The scorching sun was mounted high, In all its luster, to the noonday sky. --Addison.

Note: There is a tendency to limit the use of luster, in this sense, to the brightness of things which do not shine with their own light, or at least do not blaze or glow with heat. One speaks of the luster of a diamond, or of silk, or even of the stars, but not often now of the luster of the sun, a coal of fire, or the like.

2. Renown; splendor; distinction; glory.

His ancestors continued about four hundred years, rather without obscurity than with any great luster. --Sir H. Wotton.

3. A candlestick, chandelier, girandole, or the like, generally of an ornamental character. --Pope.

4. (Min.) The appearance of the surface of a mineral as affected by, or dependent upon, peculiarities of its reflecting qualities.

Note: The principal kinds of luster recognized are: metallic, adamantine, vitreous, resinous, greasy, pearly, and silky. With respect to intensity, luster is characterized as splendent, shining, glistening, glimmering, and dull.

5. A substance which imparts luster to a surface, as plumbago and some of the glazes.

6. A fabric of wool and cotton with a lustrous surface, -- used for women's dresses.

Luster ware, earthenware decorated by applying to the glazing metallic oxides, which acquire brilliancy in the process of baking.

Luster

Lus"ter\, Lustre \Lus"tre\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lustred; p. pr. & vb. n. Lustering, or Lustring.] To make lustrous. [R. & Poetic]

Flooded and lustered with her loosened gold. --Lowell.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Language Translation for : luster
Spanish: brillo,
German: der Glanz,
Japanese: 光沢
More Translations »

luster 
c.1522, from M.Fr. lustre "gloss, radiance," common Romanic (cf. Sp., Port. lustre, Rum. lustru, It. lustro "splendor, brilliancy"), from L. lustrare "spread light over, brighten, illumine," related to lucere "shine," lux "light" (see light (n.)).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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luster   (lŭs'tər)  Pronunciation Key 
The shine from the surface of a mineral. Luster is important in describing different kinds of minerals. It is usually characterized as metallic, glassy, pearly, or dull.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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