Damacene

Part of speech: adjective, verb, noun

Definitions

1. Adorned with a fine pattern of gold or silver inlay set into steel or iron
2. Embellished with delicate precious-metal damascene designs etched into a darker metal surface
3. Decorated through the damascene technique of inlaying gold or silver wire into grooves in steel

Etymology: Damascus, the Syrian city, gave its name to a family of luxury goods. The Arabic name "Dimashq" lies behind "damask," a figured fabric, and "damacene," a term for metalwork, which is also spelled "damascene." Damascus metalworkers were known for inlay. They cut patterns into steel or iron and filled them with gold or silver wire, a technique called damascening. The verb and the adjective both describe decoration made this way, and the craft carried the city's name into English with it. The city also gave its name to a prized steel. Blades made from high-carbon steel that reached Europe through Damascus were called Damascus steel, and historians still debate exactly how that steel was produced.