Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having a glass-like appearance or quality: Describes a material that is shiny, transparent, or translucent, similar to glass.
   • Of or relating to glass: Pertaining to the substance, properties, or production of glass.
   • Of or relating to the vitreous humor: Pertaining to the clear, gel-like substance that fills the space between the lens and the retina in the eyeball.

Usage and Examples

• Describing a glassy material:
  • The potter achieved a beautiful vitreous glaze on the ceramic vase.
  • Quartz can have a vitreous luster.
• Relating to glass:
  • The artist works with vitreous enamels.
  • Volcanic obsidian is a natural vitreous rock.
• Relating to the eye:
  • The doctor examined the patient's vitreous humor for signs of detachment.
  • A vitreous hemorrhage can affect vision.

Advanced Usage

• "Vitreous body": Another term for the vitreous humor of the eye.
  • The vitreous body helps maintain the eye's shape.
• "Vitreous state": In materials science, the non-crystalline, solid state of matter that resembles glass.
  • The cooled lava formed a vitreous state rather than a crystalline one.

Variants and Related Words

• Vitreously (adverb): In a glassy manner.
  • The surface shone vitreously.
• Vitreousness (noun): The quality of being vitreous.
  • The vitreousness of the finish was remarkable.
• Vitrify (verb): To convert or be converted into glass or a glass-like substance.
  • The intense heat can vitrify the sand.

Synonyms

• Glassy: Resembling glass in appearance.
• Glazed: Coated with a glossy, often vitreous, finish.
• Hyaline: Glassy and transparent (often used in biological contexts).

Antonyms

• Opaque: Not able to be seen through; not transparent or translucent.
• Porous: Having tiny holes that allow liquids or air to pass through; not nonporous like a vitreous glaze.
• Crystalline: Having a regular, repeating atomic structure (as opposed to the non-crystalline, amorphous structure of vitreous materials).

Related Phrases and Terms

• Vitreous china: A type of ceramic material fired at high temperature to create a nonporous, glass-like surface, commonly used for sinks and toilets.
  • The bathroom fixtures are made from durable vitreous china.
• Vitreous detachment: A common eye condition where the vitreous humor pulls away from the retina.
  • He experienced floaters due to a posterior vitreous detachment.

Adjective

1. (of ceramics) having the surface made shiny and nonporous by fusing a vitreous solution to it
   • glazed pottery
   • glassy porcelain
   • hard vitreous china used for plumbing fixtures
2. relating to or resembling or derived from or containing glass
   • vitreous rocks
   • vitreous silica
3. of or relating to or constituting the vitreous humor of the eye
   • the vitreous chamber