Varnisher

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A professional who coats surfaces with a glossy finish for protection or decoration
2. An individual who enhances objects by applying a transparent layer that provides shine and preservation
3. Someone who applies a clear, glossy coating to surfaces to protect and beautify them

Etymology: "Varnisher" is a plain formation: the noun "varnish" plus the agent suffix "-er," meaning one who performs the action. The suffix has a longer history than the word it is attached to. It descends from the Latin "-arius," which denoted a person connected with a trade or occupation, passed into Old French as "-ier," and reached English as "-er." Old English already used the same suffix, in forms like "bæcere" (baker), so English speakers had long been able to turn verbs and nouns into names for workers. The base word, "varnish," came into English from Old French "vernis," the older form of which entered French from medieval Latin. Its earlier roots are uncertain. Because "varnish" was the substance applied, the "-er" form simply names the person who applies it. Its use is largely confined to the specialist trades of furniture and craft finishing, where it names someone whose job is applying coatings.