varnish
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
varnish/ˈvɑːnɪʃ/
▶noun
- 1 a substance consisting of resin dissolved in a liquid, applied to wood to give a hard, clear, shiny surface when dry.
■ nail varnish.
- 2 literary an external or superficial appearance: an outward varnish of civilization.
– derivatives
varnisher noun.
varnisher noun.
– origin ME: from OFr. vernis, from med. L. veronix ‘fragrant resin, sandarac’ or med. Gk berenikē, prob. from Berenice, a town in Cyrenaica.
'varnish' also found in these Oxford entries:
copal
- craquelure
- dammar
- dope
- heliograph
- japan
- lac
- lacquer
- lacquer tree
- linseed oil
- mastic
- nail polish
- nail varnish
- overcoat
- recoat
- revarnish
- sandarac
- shellac
- strip
- vernissage
- vernix
