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Luster vs Glitter - What's the difference?

luster | glitter | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between luster and glitter

is that luster is shine, polish or sparkle while glitter is a bright, sparkling light; brilliant and showy luster; brilliancy; as, the glitter of arms; the glitter of royal equipage.

As verbs the difference between luster and glitter

is that luster is to gleam, have luster while glitter is to sparkle with light; to shine with a brilliant and broken light or showy luster; to gleam.

luster

English

Alternative forms

* (l) (Commonwealth)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • Shine, polish or sparkle.
    • ''He polished the brass doorknob to a high luster .
  • * Addison
    • The scorching sun was mounted high, / In all its lustre , to the noonday sky.
  • By extension, brilliance, attractiveness or splendor.
    • ''After so many years in the same field, the job had lost its luster .
  • * Sir H. Wotton
    • His ancestors continued about four hundred years, rather without obscurity than with any great lustre .
  • Refinement, polish or quality.
    • ''He spoke with all the lustre a seasoned enthusiast should have.
  • A candlestick, chandelier, girandole, etc. generally of an ornamental character.
    • (Alexander Pope)
  • A substance that imparts lustre to a surface, such as plumbago or a glaze.
  • A fabric of wool and cotton with a lustrous surface, used for women's dresses.
    • Antonyms
    * (brilliance) (l)
    Derived terms
    * (l) * (l)
    Related terms
    * (l) * (l)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To gleam, have luster.
  • To give luster, distinguish.
  • To give a coating or other treatment to impart physical luster.

    • Etymology 2

    From (etyl) lustrum, from lustrare, cognate with the above

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A lustrum, quinquennium, a period of five years, originally the interval between Roman censuses.
  • * , II.4.2.ii:
    • Mesue and some other Arabians began to reject and reprehend it; upon whose authority, for many following lusters , it was much debased and quite out of request […].
    Related terms
    * (l)

    Etymology 3

    .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One who lusts.
  • * Bible, Paul
    • Neither fornicators, nor those who serve idols, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor the lusters after mankind shall obtain the kingdom of God.

    Anagrams

    * ----

    glitter

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A bright, sparkling light; brilliant and showy luster; brilliancy; as, the glitter of arms; the glitter of royal equipage.
  • A shiny, decorative adornment, sometimes sprinkled on glue to make simple artwork.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To sparkle with light; to shine with a brilliant and broken light or showy luster; to gleam.
    • a glittering sword
    the glittering ornaments on a Christmas tree
  • * Dryden
    • The field yet glitters with the pomp of war.
  • To be showy, specious, or striking, and hence attractive.
    • the glittering scenes of a court

    Derived terms

    * all that glitters is not gold