enamel

[ ih-nam-uhl ]
/ ɪˈnæm əl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR enamel ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

verb (used with object), e·nam·eled, e·nam·el·ing or (especially British) e·nam·elled, e·nam·el·ling.

QUIZZES

DON’T VACILLATE! VANQUISH THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

It’d be a real faux pas to miss this quiz on the words from August 3–9, 2020!
Question 1 of 7
What does “vacillate” mean?
to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
to cause to be empty or unoccupied.
to assent tacitly; agree; consent.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of enamel

1275–1325; Middle English enamelen<Anglo-French enameler, enamailler, equivalent to en-en-1 + -amaler, derivative of asmal, esmal enamel, Old French esmail (-al taken as the suffix -ail) <Old Low Franconian *smalt- something melted, cognate with German Schmalz fat; akin to smelt1; cf. smalto

OTHER WORDS FROM enamel

Words nearby enamel

enactment, enactory, enalapril, enalapril maleate, enallage, enamel, enamel cap, enamel crypt, enamel dysplasia, enamel germ, enameling
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to enamel

glaze, varnish, lacquer, stain, coating, finish, gloss, polish, veneer, topcoat, japan, cloisonné

Example sentences from the Web for enamel

British Dictionary definitions for enamel

enamel
/ (ɪˈnæməl) /

noun

verb -els, -elling or -elled or US -els, -eling or -eled (tr)

Derived forms of enamel

enameller, enamellist, US enameler or enamelist, nounenamelwork, noun

Word Origin for enamel

C15: from Old French esmail, of Germanic origin; compare Old High German smalz lard; see smelt 1
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

Medical definitions for enamel

enamel
[ ĭ-năm′əl ]

n.

The hard, calcareous substance covering the exposed portion of a tooth.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Scientific definitions for enamel

enamel
[ ĭ-năm′əl ]

The hard, translucent substance covering the exposed portion of a tooth in mammals. Enamel is the hardest substance in the body, and consists mostly of calcium salts.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for enamel

enamel

The hard, white substance that covers the crown of a tooth.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.