ProbableFrom the people of the place
French polish
noun · first attested 19th century
A French finish made from a resin secreted by an insect farmed in India.
A furniture finish built up from many thin coats of shellac rubbed on with a cloth pad.
Record
- Relationship
- From the people of the place
- Confidence
- ProbableThe conventional story is likely, with caveats.
- Attested
- 19th century
- Part of speech
- noun
Explanations here are written for this atlas. Dictionary text is not copied; the sources are linked so the claim can be checked.
- Step 1
France
- In English
French polish
The rubbed shellac technique spread through European cabinet workshops in the early nineteenth century, and English speakers credited French practice when they named it. The shellac itself comes from the lac insect, harvested mainly in India and Thailand.
Also pinned to France
8 more from the same place
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France
All 57 entries 48 more words from France
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