noun / verb
lacquer
LAK-er/ˈlækər/
A liquid coating that dries to a hard, glossy finish, or applying it.
The craftsperson brushes lacquer onto the wooden box to create a glossy finish.
Etymology
French lacre named a kind of sealing wax. In English, the word shifted from a dye obtained from lac to a shellac solution, then to the hard glossy coating it produced.
In context
But the person who put it back together, instead of hiding the cracks, decided to emphasize them, using gold lacquer to repair it.
not a lot of lacquer, just enough to kind of protect that color
More examples
- She lacquers the cabinet doors in her workshop.
- Let the lacquer dry before adding another coat.
- The small box is lacquered black with gold trim.
Forms
lacquer · lacquers · lacquered · lacquering
lacquerware noun — Objects coated with a hard, glossy finish.
Similar words
- varnish
- Often oil-based and slower-drying; not always highly glossy.
- shellac
- A specific coating made from resin secreted by lac insects.