enamel Hear it!

enamel Definition

en·amel (e naməl, i-)

noun

  1. a glassy, colored, opaque substance fused to surfaces of metals, glass, and pottery as an ornamental or protective coating
  2. any smooth, hard, glossy coating or surface like enamel
  3. the hard, white, glossy coating of the crown of a tooth
  4. anything enameled; enameled ware or a piece of jewelry, etc. produced in enamel
  5. paint that produces a smooth, hard, glossy surface when it dries

Etymology: ME < the v.

transitive verb -·eled or -·elled, -·el·ing or -·el·ling

  1. to inlay or cover with enamel
  2. to decorate in various colors, as if with enamel
  3. to form an enamel-like surface on

Etymology: ME enamelen < Anglo-Fr enamayller < en- (see en-) + amayl < OFr esmail, enamel < Gmc *smalts, a glaze, melted substance: for IE base see smelt

enamel Synonyms

enamel

n.

enamel Synonyms

enamel

v.

lacquer, glaze, gloss, japan, paint, veneer, coat, varnish, shellac, finish, paint, give a finish, spray-paint.

enamel Usage Examples

Object

  • ware: The company became one of the two largest makers of black enameled ware in the country.
  • plaque: It is a four sided obelisk made from Portland stone with Bronze and enamel plaques on all four sides of the base.

Converse of object

  • gloss: Ceramic tile, stainless steel, or sheetrock painted with high gloss enamel meet this requirement.
  • dissolve: The plaque reacts with food, turning sugar into acid, which then dissolves the enamel on your teeth.
  • erode: She will not see their eroding tooth enamel, or their ulcers, the dehydration or electrolyte imbalance.

Adjective modifier

  • vitreous: Your smooth bottom electric kettle uses vitreous enamel in the manufacture of the heating element.
  • rodless: The contents of O and Mg were lowest in the thick rodless enamel of the surface layer, and highest in the deep layer.
  • translucent: The base of the box is decorated with a floral cluster reserved in gold and translucent enamel.
  • colored: These cloisons were then filled with colored enamel which was fired to fuse the enamel to the metal.
  • dental: The development and mineralization of dental enamel are areas of active research and debate and are discussed in detail in this volume.
  • thick: But the front door stuck, glued shut with thick crimson enamel.

Modifies a noun

  • hypoplasia: Systematic analysis of dental remains focuses on caries, ante-mortem tooth loss, abcesses, calculus, and enamel hypoplasias.
  • brooch: Finds include imported pottery, Roman coins and an enamel brooch which suggests there was considerable wealth in the area.
  • badge: A special limited edition of enamel badges is commissioned for the awards, based on the school shield.
  • prism: Within each tooth the enamel prisms radiate out, at right angles to the dentine core.
  • projection: The shape of enamel rod sections of all layers composing the enamel projection was distorted.
  • jug: He just roamed the room with a white half gallon enamel jug topping up glasses.

Noun used with modifier

  • porcelain: Years later, the artist wrote, In 1922 I ordered by telephone from a sign factory five paintings in porcelain enamel.
  • tooth: Tooth enamel analysis proved they could not have been brought up in the local chalk area.
  • stove: The blades are precision machine ground and the assembly is finished with an attractive blue stove enamel.

Browse dictionary entries near enamel

  1. enactment
  2. enactive
  3. enact
  4. enable
  5. en suite
  6. -en
  7. en route
  8. en rapport
  9. en règle
  10. en prise
  1. enameler
  2. enamelware
  3. enamor
  4. enamored
  5. enantiomer
  6. enarthrosis
  7. enc
  8. encaenia
  9. encage
  10. encamp