gläserner

The German adjective gläserner translates to "glassy" or "made of glass" in English. It is used to describe objects that are transparent and fragile, similar to glass. For example, one might refer to gläserne Schuhe, meaning "glass shoes," which evokes images of delicate and transparent footwear. The term can also be used metaphorically to describe something that is easily seen through, transparent in a non-literal sense, or lacking substance.

The word gläserner is derived from the noun Glas, meaning "glass." Its grammatical form is inflected to agree with the gender, number, and case of the noun it modifies. For instance, in the masculine singular nominative case, it is gläserner. For a feminine singular nominative noun, it would be gläserne.

Beyond its literal meaning, gläserner can appear in idiomatic expressions. For example, "gläserne Decke" (glass ceiling) refers to an invisible barrier that prevents women and minorities from advancing to senior leadership positions. This metaphorical usage highlights the concept of transparency and the inability to progress further, much like being unable to break through a transparent but impenetrable barrier. The adjective's versatility allows it to describe both physical and abstract qualities.