patina

[pat-n-uh, puh-tee-nuh]

noun

1. a film or incrustation, usually green, produced by oxidation on the surface of old bronze and often esteemed as being of ornamental value.

2. a similar film or coloring appearing gradually on some other substance.

3. a surface calcification of implements, usually indicating great age.

patina

¹

/ ˈpætɪnə /

noun

1. a film of oxide formed on the surface of a metal, esp the green oxidation of bronze or copper See also verdigris

2. any fine layer on a surface

   a patina of frost

3. the sheen on a surface that is caused by much handling

patina

²

/ ˈpætɪnə /

noun

1. a broad shallow dish used in ancient Rome

Word History and Origins

Origin of patina¹

1740–50; < Italian: coating < Latin: pan. See paten

Word History and Origins

Origin of patina¹

C18: from Italian: coating, from Latin: _patina ²

Origin of patina²

from Latin, from Greek patanē platter

Example Sentences

One of the affected neighborhoods is Jabriyat, a wealthy area overlooking the camp that has the feel of a ghost town, where villas bear the dusty patina of abandonment.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

I learned to force a patina—a controlled oxidation to protect the blade—with vinegar.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Camara called criticism that she and other candidates were being allowed to run only to give the election a patina of authenticity a "narrow-minded view".

Read more on Barron's

After a several rounds of cooking with oil, carbon steel develops a naturally nonstick patina, similar to the slick surface of a well-seasoned cast iron pan.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

If the Federal Reserve wants to maintain any patina of being nonpartisan, the senior staff should be strongly discouraged from making political donations, all of which are a matter of public record.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• blanket 
• coat 
• crust 
• glaze 
• layer 
• membrane 
• sheet 
• skin 
• varnish 
• veneer