reading glasses

plural noun

: eyeglasses used for reading or close work
… each button on the phone has one large number and three tiny letters squeezed about it so you have to squint real hard, especially if you don't have your reading glasses on. Dennis Baron

Examples of reading glasses in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
After Mary was arrested, Michelle and Kaj bought her items from the commissary online: a tube of cocoa-butter lotion, a pack of playing cards, some Kraft jalapeño spread, a flour tortilla, and a pair of reading glasses. Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025 Among his requisites are his passport, chargers, toiletries, eye drops, Apple Watch, sunglasses, reading glasses, notebook, and Sharpies. Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reading glasses was in 1853

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reading glasses.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reading%20glasses. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!