Glossless

/ˈɡlɒsləs/ adjective

Definition

Lacking gloss or shine; not having explanatory notes or annotations; dull in appearance.

Etymology

From 'gloss' + '-less' (suffix meaning 'without'). Can refer either to absence of shine or absence of explanatory material.

Kelly Says

A glossless translation is literal and bare—scholars debate whether adding glosses helps or hurts understanding, since sometimes a word-for-word rendering captures nuances that explanations would obscure!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.