Enamelling

/ɪˈnæm.ə.lɪŋ/ noun

Definition

The process or craft of applying enamel to an object to create a hard, glossy, decorative coating.

Etymology

Present participle of enamel, from Old French 'enamailler.' The -ing form creates both a noun (the action) and gerund (the activity as a subject). British spelling retains double-l before -ing.

Kelly Says

Medieval enamellers discovered that if they got the temperature wrong by even 50 degrees, the entire piece could crack or the colors could change—so they had to develop incredibly precise kiln techniques centuries before modern thermometers existed.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.