glorious

From Middle English glorious, from Anglo-Norman and Old French glorius et al., from Latin glōriōsus. Displaced native Middle English wuldrig, from Old English.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈɡlɔː.ɹi.əs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈɡlɔɹ.i.əs/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɔːɹiəs

glorious (comparative more glorious or gloriouser, superlative most glorious or gloriousest)

1. Exhibiting attributes, qualities, or acts that are worthy of or receive glory

   glorious deeds

   • 1604, William Shakespeare, Othello, Act III, Scene III, line 351:

     Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump, / The spirit-stirring drum, th' ear-piercing fife, / The royal banner, and all quality, / Pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious war!

2. excellent, wonderful
   • (Can we date this quote?) John Milton:

     These are thy glorious works, Parent of good.

   • 2012 August 23, Alasdair Lamont, “Hearts 0-1 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport‎:

     Borini missed another glorious opportunity to give his side the lead after brilliant set-up play by Sterling, but with only the exposed keeper to beat, he struck the post.

3. bright or shining;

   Synonyms: splendid, resplendent, bright, shining

   • 1590, William Shakespeare, Henry VI, Part II, Act III, Scene I, line 351:

     And this fell tempest shall not cease to rage / Until the golden circuit on my head, / Like to the glorious sun's transparent beams, / Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw.

4. (obsolete) Eager for glory or distinction

   Synonyms: haughty, boastful, ostentatious, vainglorious

   • 1609, William Shakespeare, Cymbeline, Act I, Scene VI, line 6:

     […] but most miserable / Is the desire that’s glorious: blest be those, / How mean soe’er, that have their honest wills, / Which seasons comfort. […]

5. (archaic, colloquial) Ecstatic; hilarious; elated with drink.
   • (Can we date this quote?) Robert Burns:

     […] kings may be blest, but Tam was glorious, O’er all the ills of life victorious.

   • (Can we date this quote?) John Dryden:

     During his office treason was no crime, The sons of Belial had a glorious time.

• gloriousness

• glorify
• glory

• glorius, gloryis, gloryous, gloriose

Borrowed from Anglo-Norman glorius, glorios, glorieus, from Latin glōriōsus.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡlɔːriuːs/, /ˈɡlɔːrjuːs/, /ˈɡlɔːrius/, /ˈɡlɔːriəs/

glorious (comparative gloriousere, superlative gloriosest)

1. Recognised, acclaimed, well-known; having a excellent reputation.
2. Deserving religious recognition or commendation; godly.
3. Marvelous or wonderful to the senses: attractive, pleasing.
4. Amazing, great; bearing good quality or reputation.
5. (rare) Vain, bragging, self-aggrandising.

• gloriously

• English: glorious

• “glōriǒus (adj.)” in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-10-04.

• glorieus
• glorios
• glorius

Latin glōriōsus.

glorious m (oblique and nominative feminine singular gloriouse) (Anglo-Norman)

1. glorious
   • 13th century, Unknown, La Vie de Saint Laurent, page 11, column 2, line 2:

     dunc dist Damnedeu glorious

     so, he says [to] glorious God