noun / verb
paint
PAYNT/peɪnt/
A colored substance applied to a surface as a coating.
A brush rests across an open can of blue paint.
Etymology
Latin pingere describes making pictures or staining a surface. The noun paint names the substance used for that activity, shifting attention from applying color to the material applied.
In context
the wet paint you've brushed on with the wet paint being rolled on.
More examples
- These paints dry quickly and wash off with water.
- We paint the fence white every few years.
- She paints portraits of her neighbors.
- His letter paints a vivid picture of farm life.
Forms
paint · paints · painted · painting
painter noun — Someone who applies paint professionally or artistically.
Similar words
- coating
- Any covering layer, not necessarily colored or made of paint.
- stain
- Coloring that penetrates a surface rather than covering it opaquely.