vitreous en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /ˈvɪtriəs/
Etymology
From Middle French vitreux, from Latin vitreus (“glassy, transparent”), from vitrum (“glass”). The terms vitreous (positive) and resinous (negative) electricity were coined in 1733 by Charles François de Cisternay du Fay, who studied the different behaviour of glass and resin when rubbed with silk and fur, respectively.
Meanings
-
Of or resembling glass; glassy.
Pressing his fingertips against the rippled, vitreous surface, he had the odd sensation that were he to apply sufficient pressure the glass would give way like a permeable membrane, and he would be able to pass right through it, but when he pushed harder, the surface remained cold and unyielding.
2021, Ruth Ozeki, The Book of Form and Emptiness, Canongate Books (2022), page 287:
- Of or relating to the vitreous humor of the eye.
- (of ceramics) Having a shiny nonporous surface.
- Of a semi-crystalline substance where the atoms exhibit short-range order, but without the long-range order of a crystal.
- With a glass-like texture, often referring to volcanic rocks that cooled too quickly for crystals to form.
- (dated) Positive (of electric charge).
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| more vitreous | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| most vitreous | Degree=Sup | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
ferrovitreous · vitreously · vitreous body · midvitreous · subvitreous · vitreous enamel · vitreous humor · vitreouslike · vitreous jelly · vitreous fluid · intravitreous · vitreousness · vitrectomy · nonvitreous · vitreous touch syndrome · semivitreous · vitreous humour
Relateds
vitrification · vitreous enamel · vitriolic · vitrify · vitreousness · vitrifaction · vitrifacture
Synonyms
Translations (35)
ca vitri (of or resembling glass) · de aus Glas (of or resembling glass) · pl szklisty (chemistry: of a semi-crystalline substance) · de glasartig (of or resembling glass) · de gläsern (of or resembling glass) · id vitreus (of or resembling glass) · pl szklisty (of or relating to the vitreous humor) · tr camımsı (of or resembling glass) · fi lasitettu (ceramics: having a shiny nonporous surface) · fi lasi- (physics, dated: electrically positive) · sv vitrös (of or resembling glass) · tr camsı (of or resembling glass) · cs sklovitý (of or resembling glass) · pl szklisty (physics, dated: electrically positive) · fi lasimainen (of or resembling glass) · ka მინის (of or resembling glass) · fi amorfinen (chemistry: of a semi-crystalline substance) · hu üveges (of or resembling glass) · bg стъ́клен (of or resembling glass) · cs skelný (of or resembling glass) · ga gloineach (of or resembling glass) · tr cam gibi (of or resembling glass) · id vitreus (of or relating to the vitreous humor) · fi lasinen (of or resembling glass) · ka მინიანი (of or resembling glass) · cs skleněný (of or resembling glass) · fi lasiais- (of or relating to the vitreous humor) · ka მინისებრი (of or resembling glass) · lv stiklveida (of or resembling glass) · pl szklisty (ceramics: having a shiny nonporous surface) · pl szklany (of or resembling glass) · fr vitreux (of or resembling glass) · io vitratra (of or resembling glass) · tr cama benzer (of or resembling glass) · de glasig (of or resembling glass)