aerugo means metallic rust, particularly of brass or copper; verdigris; patina. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 91 out of 100.
aerugo is pronounced /iːˈɹuːɡoʊ/.
Why “aerugo” is a great word
AERUGO — [Noun] The green or bluish patina, specifically of basic copper carbonate, formed on copper, brass, or bronze through oxidation. From Latin aerūgō, from aes ('copper, bronze, brass') + the suffix -ūgō (used for rusts and surface growths). First attested in English in the mid-18th century. Unlike 'rust,' which specifies the reddish corrosion of iron, or 'patina,' a broad term for any mellowing surface sheen, aerugo is the precise chromatic signature of base metals in decay. It is the turquoise crust on an ancient coin, the emerald stain weeping from a bronze statue's cheek, and the delicate, poisonous bloom on an old church roof—the beautiful, slow alchemy of metal surrendering to time and air.
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin aerūgō, from aes (“copper, bronze, brass”).
noun
- Metallic rust, particularly of brass or copper; verdigris; patina.