Hello! Thank you for your question. There are a few online dictionaries and glossaries of glass and glassmaking terms for reference. Hopefully one or more of these online resources will meet your needs!
Glass Dictionary, The Corning Museum of Glass
Glass from A to Z
https://www.cmog.org/research/glass-dictionary
Other Selected Online Dictionaries and Glossaries
Art Glass/Studio Glass
- Glossary (Museo del Vetro)
- Glossary of Glass Terms (Glass Art Magazine)
- Photographic Glossary of the Glassblower (Glassblower.Info)
Collector-Oriented
- Glass Terminology & Facts (The House of Glass)
- Glossary of Glass Terms (The Collector's Guide)
Historical Terms
- Parks Canada Glass Glossary (PDF)
- Glass Encyclopedia (site maintained by Angela M. Bowey)
Industry-Oriented
- Glass Industry Definitions (Eurotherm by Schneider Electric)
- Glossary (National Glass Association)
Optical Glass
Stained Glass
- Glossary (Corpus Vitrarium Medii Aevi)
- Glossary (Stained Glass Association of America)
- A Glossary of Stained Glass Terms (Boppard Conservation Project – Glasgow Museums)
- Tiffany Windows: Glossary (Virginia Museum of Fine Arts)
Recommended Books
If you are seriously interested in studio glass terms, it may be worth acquiring copies of Charles Bray's books:
- Bray, Charles. Ceramics and Glass: A Basic Technology. Sheffield, England: Society of Glass Technology, 2000. Excellent technical overview for the artist.
- Bray, Charles. Dictionary of Glass: Materials and Techniques. 2nd ed. London: A & C Black, 2001
Borrowing Library Materials
If you wish to borrow copies of library items, please contact your local library. The Rakow Research Library will lend designated books from its collection and will send copies of articles requested by other libraries. Your library can request items through the OCLC WorldShare Interlibrary Loan (ILL) system or by direct request through email at ill@cmog.org. For more information, please see our ILL policies and procedures.
Please do not hesitate to contact us in the future with your glass-related questions!
Links & Files
- Glass Dictionary, The Corning Museum of Glass Opens in new window
- Blow Harder: Alternative Lexicons for the Hot Shop. Suzanne Peck and Karen Donnellan, artists. New Glass Now, The Corning Museum of Glass. Opens in new window
- What is the origin of the term "glory hole"? Opens in new window
- All About Glass: Tools of the Glassmaker (The Corning Museum of Glass) Opens in new window
- All About Glass: At the Lamp (The Corning Museum of Glass) Opens in new window
- Can you please help me on the term Slag Glass? Opens in new window
- Could I have more information on Reicello, a Venetian glassblolwing technique? Opens in new window
- Do you have information on the graal technique? Opens in new window
