patina
[ pat-n-uh, puh-tee-nuh ]
/ ˈpæt n ə, pəˈti nə /
noun
a film or incrustation, usually green, produced by oxidation on the surface of old bronze and often esteemed as being of ornamental value.
a similar film or coloring appearing gradually on some other substance.
a surface calcification of implements, usually indicating great age.
RELATED WORDS
gloss, glaze, shimmer, gleam, luster, sparkle, glitz, sheen, layer, sheet, coat, blanket, skin, crust, varnish, membrane, veneer, appearance, surface, enamel
Nearby words
Also patine [puh-teen] /pəˈtin/.
Origin of patina
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for patina
patina
1/ (ˈpætɪnə) /
noun plural -nas
a film of oxide formed on the surface of a metal, esp the green oxidation of bronze or copperSee also verdigris (def. 1)
any fine layer on a surfacea patina of frost
the sheen on a surface that is caused by much handling
Word Origin for patina
C18: from Italian: coating, from Latin: patina ²
noun plural -nae (-ˌniː)
a broad shallow dish used in ancient Rome
Word Origin for patina
from Latin, from Greek patanē platter
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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patina
"greenish film on old bronze," 1748, from French patine (18c.), from Italian patina, perhaps from Latin patina "dish, pan" (see pan (n.)), on the notion of encrustation on ancient bronze dishes. Sense of "refinement, cultural sophistication" first recorded 1933.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper