varnish

Meanings

Noun

• A type of paint with a solvent that evaporates to leave a hard, transparent, glossy film.
• Anything resembling such a paint; glossy appearance.
• A deceptively showy appearance.
• a passenger train, probably derived from the varnished passenger cars used at one time.

Verb

• To apply varnish.
• To cover up with varnish.
• To gloss over a defect.

Origin

• From Middle English vernisch, from Old French vernis, from Medieval Latin vernix, veronix, from Byzantine Greek Βερενίκη ("Berenice"), a town in Cyrenaica, now called Benghazi.