ceruse
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of ceruse
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin cērussa
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Male members of the court of Louis XIV in France painted on beauty marks, while Elizabethan Englishmen powdered their faces with ceruse, a toxic mixture of vinegar and white lead.
From New York Times ● May 10, 2021
Religious writers made the use of ceruse and other cosmetics a particular concern.
From Slate ● Dec. 6, 2018
But, Anna Riehl argues, there are very few contemporary testimonies to Elizabeth’s supposed ceruse overuse.
From Slate ● Dec. 6, 2018
Other whitening preparations included powdered borax and sulphur, but ceruse was the most effective.
From Slate ● Dec. 6, 2018
Ceruse was a preparation of white lead with which women then painted their faces, and I think these ceruse jugs were part of the paraphernalia of my Lady Daniel's toilet-table.
From Customs and Fashions in Old New England by Alice Morse Earle
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