ormolu

Definitions


[ˈɔːməluː], (Noun)

Definitions:
- a gold-coloured alloy of copper, zinc, and tin used in decorating furniture and making ornaments. The term originally referred to a process in which powdered gold was mixed with mercury and used to gild metal, a technique that was banned in the 19th century on account of its toxicity
(e.g: candlesticks in glass, bronze, and ormolu)


Phrases:

Origin:
mid 18th century: from French or moulu ‘powdered gold’ (used in gilding)




definition by Oxford Dictionaries