Varnish

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈvɑː(ɹ)nɪʃ/

Definitions

1. A glossy protective coating applied to wood or other surfaces to enhance appearance and durability
2. A liquid layer that dries to create a hard, shiny finish, protecting and enhancing the visual quality of surfaces made from wood or other materials
3. A shiny, transparent film applied to surfaces for protection and aesthetic enhancement ; to cover a surface with a clear, protective coating that dries to a hard finish

Etymology: The most surprising thing about "varnish" is that its ancestor is a place name. The chain runs from Middle English "vernisch" back through Old French "vernis" to Medieval Latin "vernix" and "veronix", and from there to Medieval Greek "Bereníkē", the Greek name for Berenice, a town in Cyrenaica, the region of North Africa now called Benghazi. The link between a Libyan town and a glossy coating is not spelled out in the chain itself, but the town name is the origin the record traces the word to. The word's history in English is one of gradual adoption: it came into Middle English as "vernisch" and "vernish", forms that already reflect the French "vernis" it was borrowed from. Over the centuries the spelling settled into the modern form, while the sense stayed fixed on a liquid film that hardens into a protective, shining surface on wood and other materials.

Synonyms: lacquer, gloss, finish