varnish

C1 Topic:Materials & Substances

US /ˈvɑɹnɪʃ/ UK /ˈvɑːnɪʃ/ See IPA manual

Freq #25608

Meanings

1

noun
a transparent liquid coating that dries to form a hard, protective, usually glossy surface

Two coats of varnish protected the wooden table from spills.
2

verb
to cover a surface with varnish

They varnished the floor after sanding it smooth.
3

noun
an attractive outward appearance that conceals faults or an unpleasant reality

Polite language could not hide the varnish over his selfish motives.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a transparent liquid... finish lacquersealant

2 verb · to cover a surface with... lacquer seal finish

3 noun · an attractive outward... gloss facade veneer

Word family

Forms varnished

Derived forms revarnishvarnishablevarnishervarnishlessvarnishlike

Related forms resinwood finish

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

nail varnish
a cosmetic coating applied to nails to add color or shine

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Varnish entered English in the Middle Ages from Old French vernis, from medieval Latin veronix, “fragrant resin.” This came from medieval Greek berenikē, derived from Berenice, the name of a town in Cyrenaica in present-day Libya.

Etymology

From Middle English vernish, through Old French vernis, from Medieval Latin vernix, a word for fragrant resin or varnish. The figurative sense treats a polished appearance as a coating that can conceal the material beneath it.

Topics

Materials & Substances Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# varnish

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈvɑɹnɪʃ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈvɑːnɪʃ/
**Frequency rank:** 25608

## Meanings
1. a transparent liquid coating that dries to form a hard, protective, usually glossy surface
2. to cover a surface with varnish
3. an attractive outward appearance that conceals faults or an unpleasant reality

## Examples
- Two coats of varnish protected the wooden table from spills.
- They varnished the floor after sanding it smooth.
- Polite language could not hide the varnish over his selfish motives.

## Synonyms
- finish
- lacquer
- sealant
- gloss
- veneer

## Derived Forms
- revarnish
- varnishable
- varnisher
- varnishless
- varnishlike

## Related Forms
- resin
- wood finish

## Etymology
From Middle English vernish, through Old French vernis, from Medieval Latin vernix, a word for fragrant resin or varnish. The figurative sense treats a polished appearance as a coating that can conceal the material beneath it.

## Topics
- Materials & Substances
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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