English vocabulary · B2
Varnish
/ˈvɑːr.nɪʃ/ · n.
Varnish is clear stuff you put on wood to make it shine and keep it safe. It dries into a hard skin that helps stop water and marks.
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Example sentences
- They put varnish on the old table.
- The wood shines after the varnish dries.
Word origin and roots
from Old French
- vernis — resin (from Old French)
Synonyms and nuances
- FINISH — last coat (Last Coat On A Surface)
- GLAZE — shiny top layer (A Shiny Top Layer)
- COATING — covering layer (A Layer Over Something)
Lesson notes
Varnish is clear stuff you put on wood to make it shine and keep it safe. It dries into a hard skin that helps stop water and marks.
Related: finish, glaze, coating. Use varnish when wood needs a shiny hard cover.
They put varnish on the old table. The wood shines after the varnish dries.
From Old French, vernis meant resin. Clear resin on wood can dry hard. That is varnish.