Main Entry:

¹lac·quer

Pronunciation:

\ˈla-kər\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Portuguese lacré sealing wax, from laca lac, from Arabic lakk, from Persian lak — more at lac

Date:

1592

1 a: a spirit varnish (as shellac) b: any of various durable natural varnishes ; especially : a varnish obtained from an Asian sumac (Rhus verniciflua) —called also Japanese lacquer2: any of various clear or colored synthetic organic coatings that typically dry to form a film by evaporation of the solvent ; especially : a solution of a cellulose derivative (as nitrocellulose)