glabrous

glabrous — adjective

  • glabrouspositive
  • more glabrouscomparative
  • most glabroussuperlative

1. describes a plant stem, leaf, or animal body part that naturally has no hairs, b

1.形容詞C2
釋義

describes a plant stem, leaf, or animal body part that naturally has no hairs, bristles, down, or any similar fine growth on its surface.

例句

The botanist noted that the glabrous leaves of the orchid had no tiny hairs.

attributive: glabrous + leaves

Hamza compared the glabrous stem of the water plant with the fuzzy stem of the mint.

contrastive: glabrous stem vs fuzzy stem

同義詞
  • smooth

    the general everyday term; less scientific than 'glabrous'

  • bald

    usually of animal skin or human scalp, but implies bareness from hair loss rather than natural hairlessness

  • hairless

    more general than 'glabrous'; can apply to any living thing or body part that lacks hair

反義詞
  • hairy

    having many hairs

  • fuzzy

    covered with soft fine hairs or fuzz

  • pubescent

    technical term for a plant surface covered with soft short hairs

文法句型

glabrous + noun

be + glabrous

用法筆記

Almost exclusively used in botanical and zoological descriptions. Far more common in formal scientific writing than in speech.

常見錯誤

❌The cat's fur was glabrous.
✅The cat's skin was glabrous where the fur had been shaved for surgery.
💡'Glabrous' refers to the surface itself (skin, leaf, stem) being hairless, not to a covering of hair being absent.

2. describes any surface that feels completely even and without bumps, roughness, o

2.形容詞C2
釋義

describes any surface that feels completely even and without bumps, roughness, or any noticeable texture when you touch it.

例句

After polishing, the table surface became glabrous and reflected the ceiling lights.

predicative: became + glabrous

The glabrous skin of the dolphin feels smooth and warm to the touch.

同義詞
  • smooth

    the everyday term; suits all registers and contexts

  • sleek

    smooth and glossy, often with a connotation of elegance or aerodynamic design

  • polished

    implies the smoothness was achieved by deliberate rubbing or finishing

反義詞
  • rough

    having an uneven surface

  • bumpy

    covered with bumps or raised areas

文法句型

glabrous + noun

be + glabrous

become + glabrous

wear + glabrous

用法筆記

Considered a formal or literary alternative to 'smooth'. Rare in everyday conversation — speakers are far more likely to choose 'smooth', 'sleek', or 'polished'.

常見錯誤

❌I bought a glabrous phone case.
✅I bought a smooth phone case.
💡'Glabrous' sounds unnatural in everyday shopping contexts; use 'smooth' for ordinary objects.