Meanings
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1
noun
a thin surface layer produced by oxidation or other chemical change, especially the green coating on aged copper or bronze
Rain and air gradually formed a green patina on the bronze roof.
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2
noun
a surface color, sheen, or texture acquired through age, wear, handling, or deliberate treatment
The restorer preserved the warm patina on the old ivory handle.
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3
noun
figurative: an appearance or quality that has developed over time or covers an underlying reality
Years of ceremony gave the institution a patina of permanence.
Thesaurus
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian patina, 'surface film or coating,' from Latin patina, 'shallow dish or pan,' itself from Greek patane. Why the dish word acquired the coating sense is uncertain. English broadened the term from chemical layers on old objects to any valued finish or figurative aura produced by age.