patina

American  

[pat-n-uh, puh-tee-nuh] / ˈpæt n ə, pəˈti nə /

noun

• patinas
  plural

1. a film or incrustation, usually green, produced by oxidation on the surface of old bronze and often esteemed as being of ornamental value.

2. a similar film or coloring appearing gradually on some other substance.

3. a surface calcification of implements, usually indicating great age.

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patina ¹ British  

/ ˈpætɪnə /

noun

1. a film of oxide formed on the surface of a metal, esp the green oxidation of bronze or copper See also verdigris

2. any fine layer on a surface

   a patina of frost

3. the sheen on a surface that is caused by much handling

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patina ² British  

/ ˈpætɪnə /

noun

1. a broad shallow dish used in ancient Rome

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• patinas
  plural

Etymology

Origin of patina

1740–50; < Italian: coating < Latin: pan. See paten

Explanation

If you have an old bronze sculpture with a surface that has oxidized and turned green or brown, that coating is called a patina. A patina can appear on anything made of metal. A patina can also be the shiny surface on wooden furniture that you get after years and years of polishing. You can also use the word in a metaphorical sense, to describe somebody who has acquired some surface character that doesn't go very deep — like the tycoon who has a patina of sophistication but only pretends to be interested in art and literature.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

patina patinas

Now, some clients 30 and older are seeking out dermatologists and aestheticians with nursing degrees who can help them maintain a slight patina of wrinkles—at least enough for furrowing and raising the brows.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

But for Redlands-based artists James McClung and Marcus Mercado, the gritty patina of the Inland Empire urban landscape conjures memories of life in the region.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2026

The film’s vintage patina doesn’t detract from rising actor Will Price’s confident performance as an immature mobster who prefers bitcoin to stacks of Benjamins.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 30, 2026

“Overcleaning can remove patina, soften detail and reduce value — particularly for antique pieces. When in doubt, leave it as is,” said Emily Otranto, lead researcher with M.S.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 31, 2025

Despite the ersatz patina of science, Mengele’s work was of the poorest scientific quality.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Beneath the myriad patinas of culture, there is a fixed human nature that neither improves nor regresses.

From Washington Post ● May 30, 2019

Still fresh in Ms. Eisenman’s mind are her striving beginnings, working in jobs like painting patinas on headboards at a bed factory in Newark and murals in hotel lobbies.

From New York Times ● Sep. 29, 2015

Fashionable homes across the country began sprouting lichened stone urns and zinc-top pedestal tables bearing sun-bleached patinas.

From Architectural Digest ● Mar. 18, 2015

The show will feature the newest additions to the line’s “wearable architecture”: striking solid-bronze fabrications with patinas that “evolve over time.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2014

I studied pigments and tinting to match antique patinas.

From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys

Related Words

• blanket
• coat
• crust
• glaze
• layer
• membrane
• sheet
• skin
• varnish
• veneer