patinate

verb

pat·​i·​nate ˈpa-tə-ˌnāt How to pronounce patinate (audio)
patinated; patinating

transitive verb

: to give a patina to

intransitive verb

: to take on a patina
usually used in the past participle
patinated bronze
patination noun

Examples of patinate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web No high-end luxury brand had produced a watch with a case made of bronze, a material that patinates, turning a blotchy greenish color with age. Carol Besler, Robb Report, 20 June 2023 White marble, black granite, and patinated gray soapstone all work beautifully, as do more colorful surfaces. Caroline Picard, House Beautiful, 10 May 2023 For a Hamptons beach home, designer Poonam Khanna clad a monolithic kitchen island in shiny brass that will naturally patinate with time. Charles Curkin, ELLE Decor, 18 July 2022 Burnish and patinate and apply wax to color and protect. Jeff MacGregor, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 May 2022 The zinc countertop is nonporous, naturally antibacterial, and will patinate in time. Victoria Hagan and David Colman, House Beautiful, 22 Sep. 2021 The color scheme was muted with rich woods, deep greens, and patinated silvers. Jesse Sparks, Bon Appétit, 6 Nov. 2019 Far above the statue, which is a dark patinated bronze, a white woman on a white horse rode through a sunlit landscape in a perfume ad for Lancome. Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 27 Sep. 2019 Masterpieces are dotted across the lawn: There is a massive and rustily patinated 180-ton Richard Serra sculpture, Sidewinder, anchoring the front yard, its two curving steel walls shadowing each other. Ted Loos, WSJ, 24 May 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'patinate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of patinate was in 1857

Dictionary Entries Near patinate

Cite this Entry

“Patinate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/patinate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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