Glamour

Glamour (n)

Origin

First use 18th century, originally Scottish, popularized by Sir Walter Scott. Variant of Scottish gramarye, n. (magic, spell, enchantment), which was a corruption of English grammar, n. (learning in general, occult knowledge). Related to Old French gramaire (learning, from Lation grammatica).

Forms

Glamer, glamor, glammar, glaumour (Sc.)

Meaning

1. Magic, enchantment, spell

     cf. to cast the glamour over one (1721)
         The man had a glamour for me and drew me with the attraction of a magnet. (1894)

2. a. Magical or fictitious beauty, delusive or alluring charm

      cf. For to paint that scene of glamour, It would need the Great Enchanter’s charm! (1840)

b. Charm, attractiveness, often physical beauty (esp. feminine)

      cf. His hero is just another Glamour Guy. (1937)
 	   The trade motto ‘Bodies by Fisher’.. insists on the close relation of motorcar glamour to sex. (1951)

Glamour (v)

Derived from glamour (n), 1814

adj. glamoured, glamouring

Meaning

1. trans.; to charm, enchant

2. to glamorize (U.S., colloquial)

       cf. It's lost some of the subtlety of the book.. and they've glamoured it up a little too much. (1951)

References