Damascene

American  

[dam-uh-seen, dam-uh-seen] / ˈdæm əˌsin, ˌdæm əˈsin /

adjective

1. of or relating to the city of Damascus.

2. (lowercase) of or relating to the art of damascening.

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noun

1. an inhabitant of Damascus.

2. (lowercase) work or patterns produced by damascening.

verb (used with object)

Damascened, Damascening

1. (lowercase) Also damaskeen to produce wavy lines on (Damascus steel).

Damascene ¹ British  

/ ˌdæməˈsiːn, ˈdæməˌsiːn /

adjective

1. of or relating to Damascus

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noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Damascus

2. a variety of domestic fancy pigeon with silvery plumage

damascene ² British  

/ ˌdæməˈsiːn, ˈdæməˌsiːn /

verb

1. (tr) to ornament (metal, esp steel) by etching or by inlaying, usually with gold or silver

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noun

1. a design or article produced by this process

adjective

1. of or relating to this process

Etymology

Origin of Damascene

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin Damascēnus of Damascus < Greek Damaskēnós, equivalent to Damask ( ós ) Damascus + -ēnos -ene

Example Sentences

It’s not quite a Damascene conversion, but he’s certainly much more open to the technology’s upside potential.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 27, 2026

And the agnostic, for whom “True Haunting” could prove a Damascene moment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025

On one of the hottest days in the Damascene summer, his words interrupted by the occasional argument between other vexed patrons, Elias spoke while his eyes remained fixated on the front of the slow-moving queue.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 7, 2025

He learned how to play the oud and found a powerful sponsor in the late Damascene political leader Fakhri al-Baroudi.

From Washington Post • Nov. 2, 2021

He declared himself, in his Damascene French, consul of all the powers, or, as he phrased it, "Je suis moi, consul, de toutes les potences."

From Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 62, No. 383, September 1847 by Various