enamel

English

Pronunciation
  • (UK, General American) IPA(key): /ɪˈnæməl/
    • Audio (Southern England)(file)
  • Rhymes: -æməl

Etymology 1

From Middle English enamel, from Anglo-Norman enamailler, from en- (“in-”) + amailler (“to enamel”), variant of Old French esmailler (“to enamel”), from esmal (“enamel”), from Early Medieval Latin smaltum, from Frankish *smalt, from Proto-Germanic *smeltaną (“to melt, smelt”).

Noun

enamel (countable and uncountable, plural enamels)

  1. An opaque, glassy coating baked onto metal or ceramic objects.
  2. A coating that dries to a hard, glossy finish.
  3. The hard covering on the exposed part of a tooth.
  4. A cosmetic intended to give the appearance of a smooth and beautiful complexion.
Derived terms
Translations
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Etymology 2

From Middle English enamelen, from the noun (see above).

Verb

enamel (third-person singular simple present enamels, present participle (US) enameling or (UK) enamelling, simple past and past participle (US) enameled or (UK) enamelled)

  1. (transitive) To coat or decorate with enamel.
    • c. 1587–1588, [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire, London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene ii:
      Their plumed helmes are wrought with beaten golde,
      Their ſwords enameld, and about their neckes
      Hangs maſſie chaines of golde downe to the waſte,
      In euery part exceding braue and rich.
  2. (transitive) To variegate with colours, as if with enamel.
  3. (transitive) To form a glossy surface like enamel upon.
    to enamel card paper; to enamel leather or cloth
  4. (transitive) To disguise with cosmetics, as a woman's complexion.
Translations

References

Anagrams
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