Gloss has several related but distinct meanings depending on context. The most common meaning refers to shine or surface luster, the degree to which a surface reflects light. In this sense, gloss describes how shiny something is, from matte with no shine to high-gloss with mirror-like reflectivity. Paint sheen is measured in gloss levels. Gloss also refers to a cosmetic product that adds shine, such as lip gloss, which makes lips look shiny and wet, or hair gloss, which adds shine and tone to hair. Another major meaning is in literature and language. A gloss is a brief explanation, definition, or translation of a difficult or obscure word or passage, often written in the margin or between lines of a text. The collection of such notes is called a glossary. As a verb, to gloss means to provide such an explanation, or in a negative sense, to explain away or minimize a problem, as in to gloss over a mistake, meaning to hide or smooth over its importance. In all senses, the core idea is either adding shine or adding an explanatory layer that makes something clearer or more polished.
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