silver-plating
|sil-ver-plat-ing|
🇺🇸
/ˈsɪlvərˌpleɪtɪŋ/
🇬🇧
/ˈsɪlvəˌpleɪtɪŋ/
(silver-plate)
coated with silver
Etymology
'silver-plating' originates from English, combining 'silver' and 'plate' (with the gerundive suffix '-ing'); 'silver' comes from Old English 'seolfor' meaning 'the metal silver', and 'plate' comes via Old French 'plate' meaning 'a flat piece' or 'metal plate'.
'silver' developed from Old English 'seolfor' and related Germanic roots; 'plate' (Old French 'plate') passed into Middle English as 'plate' meaning 'a flat metal piece' and 'to cover with metal' led to the verb 'to plate', from which 'plating' and the compound 'silver-plating' formed in modern English.
Initially, 'plate' referred to a flat piece of metal; over time the verb sense 'to cover with a metal layer' developed, and 'silver-plating' came to mean both the physical coating process and, figuratively, a merely cosmetic covering for something underlying.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a thin layer of silver applied to the surface of another metal or object, or the process of applying such a layer.
The antique's silver-plating had worn away, revealing the brass beneath.
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Noun 2
figurative: a superficial improvement or cosmetic enhancement that hides underlying problems.
The software update felt like silver-plating over deeper design flaws.
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Last updated: 2026/01/17 22:21