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Definition of shellac
1 : purified lac usually prepared in thin orange or yellow flakes by heating and filtering and often bleached white
2 : a preparation of lac dissolved usually in alcohol and used chiefly as a wood filler and finish
3a : a composition containing shellac formerly used for making phonograph recordsb : an old 78 rpm phonograph record
People Are Reading
Recent Examples of shellac from the Web
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There was little demand for an improvement during the Depression, and certainly not during the war, when plastics (and presumably shellacs) went toward the war effort.
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In some cases, virtually no remaining copies of the original recordings existed because the shellac had been melted down to help paint tanks in World War II.
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More than one toddler pulling a toy train across the scratch-free, shellac-finished, quarter-sawn oak floors?
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'shellac'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of shellac
1shell + lac
shellac
Definition of shellac
shellacked
;shellacking
transitive verb
1 : to coat or otherwise treat with shellac or a shellac varnish
2 : to defeat decisively
First Known Use of shellac
1876
SHELLAC Defined for English Language Learners
shellac
playDefinition of shellac for English Language Learners
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: a clear liquid that dries into a hard coating and that is put on a surface to protect it
shellac
Definition of shellac for English Language Learners
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: to coat (something) with shellac
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: to defeat (a person or team) easily and completely
SHELLAC Defined for Kids
Definition of shellac for Students
: a varnish made from a material that is given off by an insect and that is dissolved usually in alcohol
Definition of shellac for Students
shellacked
;shellacking
: to coat with shellac
Learn More about shellac
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See words that rhyme with shellac Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for shellac Spanish Central: Translation of shellac Nglish: Translation of shellac for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shellac
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