Worn, damaged, or changed in appearance by exposure to weather over time. Can also describe someone who has endured hardships and shows the effects of difficult experiences.
From 'weather' (Old English 'weder') plus the suffix '-ed'. Originally referred literally to the effects of atmospheric conditions on materials, but by the 18th century was extended metaphorically to describe people marked by experience and hardship.
Weathering creates some of our most beautiful architectural and natural features - the patina on copper roofs, the smooth curves of wind-carved rocks, the silvery color of old barn wood. What we call 'damage' from weather often becomes the very character that makes something distinctively beautiful.
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