glamorous

Etymology

It is formed from English glamour + -ous,^[2][3][4][5] with the -u- dropped, as usual in such derivatives (see -or).^[3] Glamour, originally Scottish, is an alteration of grammar used with the sense of gramarye, magic or occult learning;^{[6][4][7][2][3]} for the change of r to l compare Medieval Latin glomeria (“grammar”).^[6][4] It was brought into general English mainly by Sir Walter Scott.^[7][3] Grammar goes back through gramaire and Latin grammatica to Ancient Greek γραμματική (grammatikḗ, “the art of letters, grammar”).^[8][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Characteristic of magic or enchantment; having a magical appearance: 1838, in W. Herbert's Attila.^[2] Merriam-Webster gives 1861 as the first known use,^[9] and Etymonline 1875.^[3]

Semantic evolution

The adjective followed the history of glamour, which moved from "magic, a spell" to "magical beauty, alluring charm" by 1840, and later to the fashionable allure of Hollywood, high fashion and celebrity, by 1939.^[3][7] The first, magical sense of glamorous is now rare,^[2] though it was still used in Galloway in 1902 for "magic, supernatural".^[10] From 1881 the word meant attractive in an exciting way, especially as suggesting a more colourful life,^[2] and since 1928, of a person and especially a woman, beautiful and alluring, often with fine clothes and make-up.^[2][11] Dictionary.com's date of 1935–40 reflects this later, everyday use.^[5]

Timeline

• 1838 – magical, enchanted (now rare).^[2]
• 1861 – first known use, according to Merriam-Webster.^[9]
• 1875 – date given by Etymonline.^[3]
• 1881 – attractive in an exciting way.^[2]
• 1902 – Galloway dialect, magic, supernatural.^[10]
• 1928 – of a person, beautiful and alluring.^[2]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Full of glamour; exciting and attractive, especially as suggesting wealth or fame: He gave up a glamorous job in television to run a farm.^[11][9][2]
2. Of a person, especially a woman: beautiful and alluring, often with stylish or showy dress and make-up.^[11][2]
3. (rare) Magical or enchanted in appearance.^[2][10]

Word family

• glamorously
• glamorousness
• ultraglamorous
• unglamorous

Related words

• glamour
• grammar
• gramarye

Usage notes

Merriam-Webster and Collins give glamourous as a less common spelling,^[9][11] even though British English keeps glamour for the noun.^[4]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
6. ^ a b Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c Ayto, John (2005), Word Origins: The Secret Histories of English Words from A to Z, 2nd ed., London: A & C Black
8. ^ Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
9. ^ a b c d Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
10. ^ a b c Wright, Joseph, ed. (1898–1905), The English Dialect Dictionary, 6 vols., Oxford: Henry Frowde; via EDD Online 4.0, University of Innsbruck (CC BY 4.0)
11. ^ a b c d Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins