Thursday, June 18, 2009

What language is the word "patina"?


Search
: patina etymology

Why: It sounds Hindi or something. I'm surprised I haven't seen a person named Patina in the news. She might be on her way to jail for abandoning her kids or freebasing on the sidewalk.

Answer: Latin or Italian, maybe. Paten/patine means "dish or pan." A paten is the plate used to hold the Eucharist.

Source: EtymOnline, Wiktionary

The More You Know: The Statue of Liberty is made of copper, but is all green from natural patina.

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