Patin

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of metallic or decorative finish that develops a green or brown layer over time, often seen on aged copper or bronze
2. The natural oxidation process that occurs on metals, creating a characteristic color or surface texture, commonly valued for aesthetic appeal
3. A surface layer formed on certain metals as a result of oxidation, often enhancing the object's visual character and historical significance

Etymology: The surface film that forms on old bronze or copper is called "patina" in English, but "patin" is an older spelling variant, and the two are tied to a word that once meant something quite different. "Patin" and its spelling "patine" come from French "patine," which is the same word as "paten," a shallow dish. The link is that the greenish or brownish crust on metal was compared to the thin coating or patina on the surface of a plate or pan. The English spelling "patine" looks like the source of the modern "patina," and "patin" simply drops the final vowel. Readers who meet "paten" in religious contexts are seeing the same sense of a flat dish, used for holding the bread at Mass, which shows how one French word split into a liturgical object and a term for a metal surface.