enamel

Meanings

Noun

• An opaque, glassy coating baked onto metal or ceramic objects.
• A coating that dries to a hard, glossy finish.
• The hard covering on the exposed part of a tooth.
• A cosmetic intended to give the appearance of a smooth and beautiful complexion.

Verb

• To coat or decorate with enamel.
• To variegate with colours, as if with enamel.
• To form a glossy surface like enamel upon.
• To disguise with cosmetics, as a woman's complexion.

Origin

• From Middle English enamel, from Anglo-Norman enamailler, from en- + amailler, variant of Old French esmailler, from esmal, from Frankish *smalt, from Proto-Germanic *smaltijaną. Compare German schmelzen, Danish smelte.
• From Middle English enamelen, from the noun (see above).