craquelure

[ krak-loor, krak-loor; French krakuh-lyr ]

noun,plural cra·que·lures [krak-loorz, krak-loorz; French krakuh-lyr]. /krækˈlʊərz, ˈkræk lʊərz; French krakəˈlür/.
  1. a network of fine cracks or crackles on the surface of a painting, caused chiefly by shrinkage of paint film or varnish.

Origin of craquelure

1
First recorded in 1910–15; <French, equivalent to craquel(er) “to crackle, crack” (imitative) + -ure -ure

Words Nearby craquelure

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

British Dictionary definitions for craquelure

craquelure

/ (ˈkrækəlʊə) /


noun
  1. a network of fine cracks on old paintings caused by the deterioration of pigment or varnish

Origin of craquelure

1
C20: from French, from craqueler to crackle, from craquer to crack, of imitative origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012