Cloison

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A craft technique features thin metallic dividers that form distinct spaces for coloring materials like enamel or gemstones
2. This method employs metal strips to partition areas, allowing for the incorporation of colorful substances or gems
3. A decorative art form utilizes thin metal barriers to create separate compartments that can be filled with various colored materials or precious stones

Etymology: "Cloison" is the French word for a partition or dividing wall, and English borrowed it from French as a term for the jewellery technique in which thin metal strips are soldered edgewise to a surface to form compartments that hold enamel or gemstones. The metal walls do the dividing, which is how the name fits: a cloisonné piece is built from these little cells, each filled with its own colour. The English word itself is a straightforward borrowing, so its story is mostly the story of the French term. French "cloison" comes from the idea of enclosing or partitioning, and it kept that sense when it crossed the Channel. English speakers later borrowed the enamelling method together with the name, which is why the word carries a French form and a specialist meaning rather than an everyday English one.