Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A vitreous, usually opaque, protective or decorative coating baked on metal, glass, or ceramic ware.
  • noun An object having such a coating, as in a piece of cloisonné.
  • noun A coating that dries to a hard glossy finish.
  • noun A paint that dries to a hard glossy finish.
  • noun Anatomy The hard, calcareous substance covering the exposed portion of a tooth.
  • transitive verb To coat, inlay, or decorate with enamel.
  • transitive verb To give a glossy or brilliant surface to.
  • transitive verb To adorn with a brightly colored surface.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In ceramics, a vitrified substance, either transparent or opaque, applied as a coating to pottery and porcelain of many kinds.
  • noun In the fine arts, a vitreous substance or glass, opaque or transparent, and variously colored, applied as a coating on a surface of metal or of porcelain (see def. 1) for purposes of decoration.
  • noun Enamel-work: a piece or sort of work whose chief decorative quality lies iu the enamel itself: as, a fine piece of cloisonné enamel; a specimen of enamel à jour.
  • noun Any smooth, glossy surface resembling enamel, but produced by means of varnish or lacquer, or in some other way not involving vitrification: as, the enamel of enameled leather, paper, slate, etc.
  • noun In anatomy, the hardest part of a tooth; the very dense, smooth, glistening substance which crowns a tooth or coats a part of its surface: distinguished from dentin and from cement.
  • noun Figuratively, gloss; polish.
  • noun In cosmetics, a coating applied to the skin, giving the appearance of a beautiful complexion.
  • noun The firm white substance which covers the bony scales of some ganoid fishes.
  • To lay enamel upon; cover or decorate with enamel.
  • To form a glossy surface like enamel upon: as, to enamel cardboard; specifically, to use an enamel upon the skin.
  • To variegate or adorn with different colors.
  • To practise the use of enamel or the art of enameling.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To lay enamel upon; to decorate with enamel whether inlaid or painted.
  • transitive verb To variegate with colors as if with enamel.
  • transitive verb To form a glossy surface like enamel upon
  • transitive verb To disguise with cosmetics, as a woman's complexion.
  • intransitive verb To practice the art of enameling.
  • adjective Relating to the art of enameling.
  • noun A variety of glass, used in ornament, to cover a surface, as of metal or pottery, and admitting of after decoration in color, or used itself for inlaying or application in varied colors.
  • noun (Min.) A glassy, opaque bead obtained by the blowpipe.
  • noun That which is enameled; also, any smooth, glossy surface, resembling enamel, especially if variegated.
  • noun (Anat.) The intensely hard calcified tissue entering into the composition of teeth. It merely covers the exposed parts of the teeth of man, but in many animals is intermixed in various ways with the dentine and cement.
  • noun Any one of various preparations for giving a smooth, glossy surface like that of enamel.
  • noun A cosmetic intended to give the appearance of a smooth and beautiful complexion.
  • noun painting with enamel colors upon a ground of metal, porcelain, or the like, the colors being afterwards fixed by fire.
  • noun paper glazed a metallic coating.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An opaque, glassy coating baked onto metal or ceramic objects.
  • noun A coating that dries to a hard, glossy finish.
  • noun The hard covering on the exposed part of a tooth.
  • verb to coat or decorate something with enamel

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun any smooth glossy coating that resembles ceramic glaze
  • noun a colored glassy compound (opaque or partially opaque) that is fused to the surface of metal or glass or pottery for decoration or protection
  • noun a paint that dries to a hard glossy finish
  • verb coat, inlay, or surface with enamel
  • noun hard white substance covering the crown of a tooth

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[From Middle English enamelen, to put on enamel, from Anglo-Norman enamailler : en-, on (from Old French; see en–) + amail, enamel (from Old French esmail, of Germanic origin; see mel- in Indo-European roots).]

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Examples

  • When this is not applied the filing does not, by destroying what we term the enamel, diminish the whiteness of the teeth; but the use of betel renders them black if pains be not taken to prevent it.

    The History of Sumatra Containing An Account Of The Government, Laws, Customs And Manners Of The Native Inhabitants William Marsden 1795

  • And you get to pick from the popular stainless steel, to the porcelain enamel, stone blend, metal or any other fancy types.

    Minimalist Bathroom Design – Faucet-less Sink 2009

  • Absolutely thick molar enamel is consistent with large body size estimates and dietary inferences about Gigantopithecus blacki, which focus on tough or fibrous vegetation.

    Archive 2009-02-01 2009

  • - An almost 50% increase in enamel defects, which indicates malnutrition

    A Historic Shift 2008

  • But I think what you are referring to are Italian style espresso cups in enamel, presumably more decorative than plain graniteware.

    Plastic Elimination Campaign: Kid's Dishes regina doman 2007

  • Mijares, who has exhibited across the country and abroad, is well-known to Jerseyans for her four large scale porcelain enamel murals in Union City's Bergenline Avenue light-rail station.

    Archive 2007-10-01 Dan 2007

  • Mijares, who has exhibited across the country and abroad, is well-known to Jerseyans for her four large scale porcelain enamel murals in Union City's Bergenline Avenue light-rail station.

    Plainfield artist featured in celebration of Pru Center Dan 2007

  • Dental enamel is the hardest tissue produced by the body.

    Science Press Releases 2007

  • The inclusion of a glossary of terms may have given readers who were novice artists the confidence to discuss the aesthetics and expectations of different painting techniques; de Massoul includes clear descriptions of painting in enamel (most solid and durable but the most difficult), mosaic, fresco, gouache, miniature, watercolor, pastel, and crayon.

    The Creation of Color in Eighteenth-Century Europe 2006

  • Mr. Grignion attended and gave an account that the Workman he had employed to examine the Enamel had acquainted him that the enamel is not so good as that produced the last year.

    The Creation of Color in Eighteenth-Century Europe 2006

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