Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Radiating light; bright.
  • adjective Bright from reflected light; glistening.
  • adjective Having a sheen from being rubbed or worn smooth.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Clear; unclouded; lighted by the sun or moon.
  • Having a. glittering appearance; glossy.
  • noun Gold; money. Also shiney.
  • Rubbed smooth by abrasion: said of cloth, rails, wire rope, etc.
  • Reflecting light or showing differences in shade or color on account of the presence of a film of grease, as in cloth, or its absence locally from a surface which is normally lubricated, as in engine-guides.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Bright; luminous; clear; unclouded.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Reflecting light.
  • adjective Emitting light.
  • adjective colloquial Excellent; remarkable.
  • adjective obsolete Bright; luminous; clear; unclouded.
  • noun informal Anything shiny; a trinket.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective reflecting light
  • adjective having a shiny surface or coating
  • adjective made smooth and bright by or as if by rubbing; reflecting a sheen or glow

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

shine +‎ -y

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Examples

  • "They're buying what they call shiny, bright ornaments because that's what the 40 and 50-year-old people, their grandma had them."

    WSAW - HomePage - Headlines 2009

  • We don't need to demonize it outright, but it doesn't make sense to glorify it in "shiny" ways either.

    Looking forward Roger Sutton 2009

  • When she opened the handbag, she found $200 in shiny bills in the bag.

    A Simple Case 2010

  • When she opened the handbag, she found $200 in shiny bills in the bag.

    A Simple Case 2010

  • I think I've asked for it before, but I can't find it anywhere; it's like a frickin 'shiny Celebi or something.

    Writer's Block: Nature Or Nurture+ tragic_elegance 2009

  • We are now seen as the turn up in shiny cars and do a bit of ANPR police force (making sure we a bloody sign out 1st telling everyone we are doing it)

    Through The Looking Glass « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2010

  • Cram's old firm is producing churches again, and the likes of Arthur Brown and John Russell Pope are all over the bookshelves in shiny new monographs if one at least finds the right shelf or noodles around online.

    The Modern Baroque of Armando Brasini 2009

  • Water transformed it, turning cracked gray skin shiny new.

    The Last Liverbeast « A Fly in Amber 2010

  • It was wrapped in shiny, green paper with a purple bow.

    Leather (complete version) Michael Dickes 2010

  • When she opened the handbag, she found $200 in shiny bills in the bag.

    A Simple Case 2010

Comments

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  • …and I wish I was the king of all Londinium and wore a shiny hat.

    December 6, 2006

  • "Ooh... shiny!"

    December 10, 2006

  • Aidje, fantastic citation! From the first episode of "Firefly", I believe.

    December 27, 2006

  • Her ass was shiny in the moonlight.

    August 1, 2009