Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
ormolu
orˊmo-lu′
(ôrˊmō̍-lṳ′)
, Noun.
[F.
or moulu
; or
gold (L. aurum
) + moulu
, p. p. of moudre
to grind, to mill, L. molere
. See Aureate
, and Mill
.] A variety of brass made to resemble gold by the use of less zinc and more copper in its composition than ordinary brass contains. Its golden color is often heightened by means of lacquer of some sort, or by use of acids. Called also
mosaic gold
. ormolu varnish
, a varnish applied to metals, as brass, to give the appearance of gold.
Definition 2024
ormolu
ormolu
English
Noun
ormolu (plural ormolus)
- Golden or gilded brass or bronze used for decorative purposes.
Adjective
ormolu (comparative more ormolu, superlative most ormolu)
- Made from golden or gilded brass or bronze.
- 1888, Henry James, The Reverberator.
- At one of the ormolu tables, near a lamp with a pink shade, Gaston insisted on making at least a partial statement.
- 1888, Henry James, The Reverberator.
Verb
ormolu (third-person singular simple present ormolus, present participle ormoluing, simple past and past participle ormolued)
- To decorate with gilded ormolu articles.
- 1840, E.A.Poe, The Philosophy of Furniture
- But I have seen apartments in the tenure of Americans—men of exceedingly moderate means yet rara aves of good taste—which, in negative merit at least, might vie with any of the or-molued cabinets of our friends across the water.
- 1840, E.A.Poe, The Philosophy of Furniture