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vernissage

[ ver-nuh-sahzh; French ver-nee-sazh ]
/ ˌvɛr nəˈsɑʒ; French vɛr niˈsaʒ /
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noun, plural ver·nis·sages [ver-nuh-sah-zhiz; French ver-nee-sazh]. /ˌvɛr nəˈsɑ ʒɪz; French vɛr niˈsaʒ/.
Also called varnishing day. the day before the opening of an art exhibition traditionally reserved for the artist to varnish the paintings.
a reception at a gallery for an artist whose show is about to open to the public.
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Origin of vernissage

1910–15; <French: literally, a varnishing, touching up (of paintings). See varnish, -age
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use vernissage in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for vernissage

vernissage
/ (ˌvɜːnɪˈsɑːʒ) /

noun
a preview or the opening or first day of an exhibition of paintings
another term for varnishing day

Word Origin for vernissage

French, from vernis varnish
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
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