Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Niello

Ni-el′lo

,
Noun.
[It.
niello
, LL.
nigellum
a black of blackish enamel, fr. L.
nigellus
, dim. of
niger
black. See
Negro
, and cf.
Anneal
.]
1.
A metallic alloy of a deep black color.
2.
The art, process, or method of decorating metal with incised designs filled with the black alloy.
3.
A piece of metal, or any other object, so decorated.
4.
An impression on paper taken from an ancient incised decoration or metal plate.

Definition 2024


niello

niello

See also: niellò

English

A snuffbox, engraved and rubbed with niello before firing and polishing

Noun

niello (plural niellos or nielli)

  1. (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” []
  2. An impression on paper taken from the engraved or incised surface before the niello alloy has been inlaid.

Verb

niello (third-person singular simple present niellos, present participle nielloing, simple past and past participle nielloed)

  1. (transitive) To decorate (a surface) using this technique.

Anagrams


Italian

Etymology

From Late Latin nigellum, from Latin nigellus.

Noun

niello m (plural nielli)

  1. niello

Related terms

Verb

niello

  1. first-person singular present indicative of niellare