niello
See also: niellò
English
![](Images/wiktionary/Athanasius_Stepanovich_Popov_-_Snuffbox_with_Engraved_Scenes_-_Walters_57720.jpg.webp)
A snuffbox, engraved and rubbed with niello before firing and polishing
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian niello, from Latin nigellus (“blackish”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /niˈɛləʊ/
- (US) IPA(key): /niˈɛloʊ/
Noun
niello (countable and uncountable, plural niellos or nielli)
- (metallurgy) Any of various black metal alloys, made of sulphur with copper, silver or lead, used to create decorative designs on other metals.
- 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage 2007, p. 283:
- a young woman named Renata, with a gesturing of her dark curls, beckoned him in with a cigarette-case of Russian silver and niello, which sprang open to reveal a collection of “smokes” […]
- 2006, Thomas Pynchon, Against the Day, Vintage 2007, p. 283:
- An impression on paper taken from the engraved or incised surface before the niello alloy has been inlaid.
Derived terms
- nielloware
Related terms
- niellated
- nielle
- niellist
- niellure
Translations
any of various black metal alloys
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Verb
niello (third-person singular simple present niellos, present participle nielloing, simple past and past participle nielloed)
- (transitive) To decorate (a surface) using this technique.
Anagrams
- Lionel, O'Neill, lionel, loline, nollie
Italian
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈnjɛl.lo/, (traditional) /niˈɛl.lo/
- Rhymes: -ɛllo
- Hyphenation: nièl‧lo, (traditional) ni‧èl‧lo
Etymology 1
From Latin nigellus (“somewhat black”).
Noun
niello m (plural nielli)
- niello (type of metalwork)
Related terms
- niellare
- niellatura
- niellatore
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.
Verb
niello
- first-person singular present indicative of niellare
Descendants
- → English: niello
- → French: nielle (probably)
Further reading
- niello in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
Anagrams
- -ellino, ellino