antitarnish
|an-ti-tar-nish|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.tiˈtɑrnɪʃ/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tiˈtɑːnɪʃ/
against tarnish; prevent discoloration
Etymology
'antitarnish' originates from Modern English, specifically the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti') meaning 'against' combined with 'tarnish' (from Middle English/Old French 'tarnir') meaning 'to make dark or discolored'.
'tarnish' changed from Old French 'tarnir' into Middle English as 'tarnish', and the productive English prefix 'anti-' was attached in modern usage (especially 19th–20th century commercial/industrial contexts) to form 'antitarnish' as a term for protective coatings and agents.
Initially, 'tarnish' meant 'to make dark or discolored'; over time the compound 'antitarnish' evolved to mean specifically 'preventing or reversing tarnish' and, as a noun, 'an agent or product that prevents tarnish'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a substance, coating, bag, or treatment that prevents tarnishing of metal; an antitarnish agent or product.
The jeweler sold antitarnish strips to put in jewelry boxes.
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Verb 1
to treat or coat (an object) so that it resists or does not develop tarnish; to protect from tarnishing.
The company antitarnished the brass fittings before shipping them.
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Adjective 1
preventing or resisting tarnish (discoloration or dulling, especially of metals). Used to describe coatings, treatments, or materials designed to keep surfaces bright.
They applied an antitarnish coating to the silverware to keep it bright.
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Last updated: 2025/09/11 04:06