the visual property of something that shines with reflected light

The exponent associated with specular reflection and lighting. Shininess controls the degree with which the specular highlight decays.

In rendering, the intensity of the shiny attribute of a surface. For example, a wet fish has a shinier surface than a dry leaf. In animations, surfaces reflect light in different ways depending on their shininess. The Blinn material is preferable for shiny surfaces in animations. Highlights on other specular materials, like Phong and PhongE, may flicker when animated.