Glass that is coated with a highly reflective metallic coating, often used for mirrors and decorative effects. Glass mirrors with a metallized backing were first constructed in Venice in the 16th century using an amalgam of tinfoil and mercury. In 1836, a German chemist, J. von Liebig, developed a method to coat the glass with a silver salt then reduce it to metallic silver. For glass used to reflect solar radiation in windows, use "reflective glass."
