A gloss is a short note that explains the meaning of a word or phrase in a text. This note may appear in the same language as the text or in the reader's language if they are different.

A group of glosses is called a glossary. A group of medieval legal glosses, created by scholars known as glossators, is called an apparatus. Making glossaries was the start of lexicography, and these early glossaries were the first dictionaries. In modern times, a glossary is usually a section at the end of a text that explains specialized words a typical reader might not know. Sometimes, glosses are also humorous explanations of words or events. The German Romantic movement used the term "gloss" to describe poems that commented on other poems, often written in the Spanish Décima style.

Glosses were first written in the margins or between the lines of texts in classical languages. They explained difficult or unclear words or passages. Glosses can be simple or detailed, ranging from brief notes to full translations with references to similar passages. Today, short explanations in parentheses in scientific or technical writing are also called glosses. Sometimes, links to a glossary replace these notes. In East Asian languages, ruby characters are used as glosses to show the pronunciation of logographic Chinese characters.

Etymology

In the 14th century, a "gloze" in English was a note or explanation written in the margins of a text. This word came from French "glose," which was based on medieval Latin "glōsa" and classical Latin "glōssa." These Latin terms described a word that was no longer used or came from another language and needed an explanation. The Latin word "glōsa" itself was borrowed from Greek "γλῶσσα," meaning "tongue, language, or a word that is no longer used or from another language." By the 16th century, the spelling of the word changed to "gloss" to better match its Greek origin.

In theology

Glosses and other notes written in the margins of medieval Bible texts were important tools used by scholars to study and remember theological ideas. These notes were often linked to specific Bible passages, and their accuracy was considered to be supported by scripture. One example is an early explanation of the Trinity, which may have been added to the Bible text itself. This addition, called the "three heavenly witnesses" or the Comma Johanneum, appears in the Vulgate Latin Bible and in later versions of the Greek Textus Receptus compiled by Erasmus (the first two versions did not include it due to lack of supporting manuscripts). However, this passage is not found in modern critical editions of the New Testament, such as those created by Westcott and Hort, Tischendorf, and Nestle-Aland.

In law

In the medieval legal tradition, explanations or comments on Roman law and Canon law helped create standards for understanding legal matters, known as "sedes materiae," which means "seat of the matter." In common law countries, the term "judicial gloss" describes an official explanation of a law or rule given by a judge. These explanations are often very helpful in preventing conflicts between different laws and in deciding whether certain laws follow the rules of a country's constitution.

In literature

A gloss, or glosa, is a type of verse found in traditional Spanish and Portuguese literature and music. It follows and discusses a repeated line or phrase called the "mote." This term is also connected to a type of traditional song known as a villancico.

In philology

Glosses are important in the study of languages, especially when a language has few written texts. For example, the Reichenau Glosses explain parts of the Latin Vulgate Bible using an early form of a Romance language. These glosses help scholars understand late Vulgar Latin, a common form of Latin spoken in daily life, during a time when it was rarely written down. They also provide important information about an early stage of Gallo-Romance, a group of Romance languages with few surviving documents. Similarly, glosses in Old English translate parts of Latin Bibles, offering a running translation of Biblical texts in that language. These glosses are also helpful for learning about Old Irish, as they explain religious texts from that time. Glosses often help scholars learn vocabulary of languages with few written records, but they are less useful for understanding sentence structure, because they often follow the word order and idioms of the original text.

In linguistics

In linguistics, a simple translation of a foreign word in running text is often shown in quotation marks. This translation usually follows the written version of the word. Single quotes are commonly used for this purpose. For example:

When a longer or more complex text is being studied, an interlinear gloss may be used. This type of gloss is placed between the original text and its translation. It helps show the structure of the language being studied, not just the general meaning.

Sign languages are usually written word-for-word using a gloss in the main spoken language, written in all capital letters. For example, American Sign Language and Auslan are written in English. The rhythm and flow of speech, called prosody, is often shown with superscript words. Brackets are used to show the range of these elements.

[I LIKE] [WHAT?], GARLIC. "I don't like garlic."

Fingerspelled words are often shown with hyphens. Some fingerspelled words have become part of the sign language and are slightly different from regular fingerspelling. These are marked with a hash symbol. For example, W-I-K-I shows a simple fingerspelled word. However, #JOB shows a word that has become part of the language. It is signed like J-O-B but faster, with a barely noticeable O and the "B" hand turned palm side in, unlike a regular fingerspelled "B."