Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “luster” come from?

Luster comes from Italian lustro, from Latin lustrum meaning a period of five years or purification ceremony, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root lewk- meaning to shine or be bright.

luster (English): Shine, polish or sparkle; By extension,...

Definitions

  1. Shine, polish or sparkle; By extension,...

Ancestry of “luster”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanLüsterchandelier
2Frenchlustrelustrum; period of five years; a very long time;...
3Middle Frenchlustrelustre; shine
4Italianlustrofirst-person singular present indicative of...
5Italianlustrareto polish, shine
6Latinlūstrō—
7Latinlūstrum—
8Old Latinloustrom—
9Proto-Indo-Europeanlewkstrom—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanlewk-bright; to shine; to see

Words derived from “luster”

  • lackluster
  • lusterless
  • lusterware
  • lusterlessly
  • deluster
  • lacklustrely
  • lacklusterness
  • lacklusterly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewk- →