Overglaze

Part of speech: noun, verb

Definitions

1. A glossy top layer applied to an object enhances its visual quality and provides protection, while also creating a luminous finish and improving the longevity of the surface underneath it
2. A shiny coating placed atop an existing layer enhances aesthetics and durability, providing both protection and a more lustrous finish for various surfaces
3. A translucent or glossy coating applied over painted ceramic surfaces to enhance appearance and safeguard the decoration beneath

Etymology: Overglaze is a plain compound rather than a story with a famous coiner. It is formed from "over-", meaning on or above, and "glaze", the glassy coating applied to pottery. The prefix descends from Old English "ofer", which traces back to a Proto-Germanic root shared by many languages. The modern sense of the word follows directly from its parts: a second glaze laid over an existing one. The word's real significance lies in the technique it names. Ceramicists apply overglaze decoration after an initial firing, painting or printing designs onto the glazed surface and then firing again at a lower temperature so the colours fuse into the top layer. This is why the term is used mainly in pottery and porcelain making, where the decorated surface must be protected and given its shine.

Synonyms: glaze, finish, coating, sheen, luster