murrine means a glass mosaic cane made by fusing together layers of coloured glass. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
Why “murrine” is a great word
MURRINE — [Noun] A composite glass cane made by fusing layers of coloured glass, which is then sliced to reveal an intricate mosaic pattern. Its name descends from the Italian murrina, from Latin murrhinus, from murrha, a precious stone or material (possibly fluorspar) described by Pliny. Unlike millefiori (which names the finished objects created from its slices) or a simple glass rod (a generic, solid cylinder), a murrine is the latent image, the compressed potential of pattern coiled within a vitreous log. It is the painstakingly layered cylinder cooling on the marver, the kaleidoscopic wafer revealed by the cutter's score, the stratified core sample of pure intention—a testament that the most intricate beauty is often constructed in secret, then displayed in cross-section.
noun
- a glass mosaic cane made by fusing together layers of coloured glass