vitreous

1 of 2

adjective

vit·​re·​ous ˈvi-trē-əs How to pronounce vitreous (audio)
1
a
: resembling glass (as in color, composition, brittleness, or luster) : glassy
vitreous rocks
b
: characterized by low porosity and usually translucence due to the presence of a glassy phase
vitreous china
2
: of, relating to, derived from, or consisting of glass
3
: of, relating to, or constituting the vitreous humor
vitreous surgery

vitreous

2 of 2

noun

Examples of vitreous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
In vitrectomy, the surgeon removes the vitreous, clear gel from the eye and replaces it with a gas or oil bubble to help push the retina back in place. William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023 Most pedestal sinks in a affordable price range will be made of vitreous china, a durable, shiny, corrosion-resistant material that is easy to clean. Allen Foster, chicagotribune.com, 22 Sep. 2020 People can have macular edema (swelling in part of the retina), vitreous hemorrhage (bleeding in the eye), neovascular glaucoma (a very serious and hard to treat version of glaucoma), and cataracts (clouding on the lens of the eye), said Dr. Mehta. Sherri Gordon, Health, 1 July 2023 The top is a single integrated countertop and sink made from vitreous china. Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Apr. 2023 The development and progression of cataracts and vision loss are common side effects of vitreous surgery. Irene Wright, Dallas News, 15 June 2022 And then there’s the ziggurat, designed by Davis Brody in 1969 as 450 West 33rd Street, then reborn and redubbed Five Manhattan West a few years ago when the architecture firm REX stripped, gutted, and dressed the beast up in vitreous ripples and zapped it into a tech center. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 30 Sep. 2021 Me Forever ring in 18K gold with its vitreous glass enamel heart, customizable with the first initials of two lovers, as though carved into a tree in some enchanted wood. Beth Bernstein, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2023 Designers look towards fine arts, finding inspiration in everything from famous paintings, mosaic tiles, Roman micro mosaics to ceramics and different types of vitreous glass enamel. Beth Bernstein, Forbes, 11 Feb. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vitreous.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Latin, from vitrum glass

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1869, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of vitreous was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near vitreous

Cite this Entry

“Vitreous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vitreous. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

vitreous

1 of 2 adjective
vit·​re·​ous ˈvi-trē-əs How to pronounce vitreous (audio)
: of, relating to, constituting, or affecting the vitreous body
vitreous hemorrhages

vitreous

2 of 2 noun

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