Glosa

Glosa is a term with several related meanings in Spanish, Portuguese and other languages, reflecting a long tradition of commentary, annotation, and poetic practice. The root is the Greek glossa, meaning tongue or language, and in many contexts glosa denotes a gloss or explanatory note added to a text.

In philology and manuscript studies, a glosa refers to a brief explanatory remark, translation, or marginal comment that clarifies or interprets a source text. This sense is common in historical manuscripts, where glosses help readers understand difficult terms, phrases, or linguistic forms. In modern editions, glossing remains a standard technique in bilingual texts, dictionaries, and grammars.

In literature and poetry, glosa is a specific form. It describes a poem in which an original stanza or short poem is followed by a set of lines that gloss or elaborate on it. Traditionally, the closing lines comment on the preceding verse, sometimes by drawing on its endings or themes. The form emerged in medieval and early modern Iberian poetry, especially in Spanish and Portuguese works, and variations of the structure appear in later periods.

In medieval liturgy and manuscript culture, glosas or glosas litúrgicas are marginal annotations attached to chant or prayers. These glosses explain, translate, or regulate the liturgical text and sometimes function as a small, autonomous commentary.

Today, glosa can also refer more broadly to any annotation or paraphrase that clarifies a text, including scholarly commentary, editorial notes, or linguistic glosses.