Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

enamel

/ɪˈnæməl/ noun

In Latin: enamelum Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about enamel at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Hard white substance covering the crown of a tooth.
A colored glassy compound (opaque or partially opaque) that is fused to the surface of metal or glass or pottery for decoration or protection.
A paint that dries to a hard glossy finish.

verb

Coat, inlay, or surface with enamel.

Origin

From Middle English enamel, from Anglo-Norman enamailler, from en- (“in-”) + amailler (“to enamel”), variant of Old French esmailler (“to enamel”), from esmal (“enamel”), from Early Medieval Latin smaltum, from Frankish *smalt, from Proto-Germanic *smeltaną (“to melt, smelt”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word