Capable of being burnished or polished to a smooth, shiny finish.
From 'burnish' (Old French 'brunir,' from 'brun' meaning brown) + -able. The word emerged in Middle English to describe materials suitable for the burnishing process.
Not all metals burnish equally—gold and silver are dream materials for burnishers because they respond beautifully, while iron needs special techniques, which is why burnishing crafts were so specialized!
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