lusterless

/ˈlʌstərləs/

Something that's lusterless is dull, colorless, or boring. When you've been sick, you might notice that your hair and skin are lusterless.

The adjective lusterless is especially good for describing something that's lost its shine or vitality. Your cat's lusterless coat and lack of appetite might worry you enough to call the vet. A lusterless old car probably can't be shined up much even by being washed and waxed. Lusterless comes from the noun luster, a sheen or glow, from the Middle French word lustre, "gloss or radiance." The Latin root is lustrare, "spread light over," from lux, "light."

Definitions of lusterless

1. adjective

   lacking brilliance or vitality
   “a lusterless performance”

   synonyms: lackluster, lacklustre, lustreless

   dull

   lacking in liveliness or animation
2. adjective

   lacking luster or shine
   “lusterless hair”

   synonyms: lackluster, lacklustre, lustreless

   dull

   emitting or reflecting very little light