patina means of a green colour, tinted with grey, like that of bronze patina. It carries an Arena rating of 1894, earned across 61 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, patina ranks #653 of 17,130 for Most Beautiful Words, #695 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #795 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #862 of 17,127 for Most Vivid Words.
patina is pronounced /ˈpætɪnə/.
Why “patina” is a great word
PATINA — [Noun] A fine, colored film, typically green or brown, that forms on the surface of bronze, copper, or similar metals through long-term oxidation and environmental exposure. From Italian patina ("coating"), from Latin patina ("shallow dish, pan"), itself borrowed from Ancient Greek πατάνη (patánē, "plate, dish"), likely from Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- ("to spread") or from a Pre-Greek substrate. Unlike "verdigris" (which specifies a corrosive, chemical greenish-blue crust) or "luster" (which denotes a bright, reflective shine), patina describes the subdued, accreted finish of age itself. It is the statuary’s emerald shoulder where pigeons rest, the warm umber blooming along a bronze brow, and the rooftop weathervane’s slow transformation into a piece of the sky—the beautiful scar left by time’s patient touch.
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian patina, from Latin patina (“dish, pan”), itself a borrowing from Ancient Greek πατάνη (patánē), either from Proto-Indo-European *peth₂- (“to spread”) or from Pre-Greek. Doublet of paten, patena, and patine.
adj
- Of a green colour, tinted with grey, like that of bronze patina.
noun
- A paten, flat type of dish.
- The colour or incrustation which age and wear give to (mainly metallic) objects; especially, the green rust which covers works of art such as ancient bronzes, coins and medals.
- A green colour, tinted with grey, like that of bronze patina.
- A gloss or superficial layer.e.g.“he enjoys a patina of respect by the police, despite being an ex-criminal”
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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