Pronunciation: /ʃəˈlæk/

Definitions of shellac

noun a type of resin or varnish used as a wood finish

Example Sentences

A1 I used shellac to give my nails a shiny finish.

A2 The furniture was coated with shellac to protect it from scratches.

B1 Shellac is a resin secreted by the lac bug found in India and Thailand.

B2 The violin maker applied a layer of shellac to the instrument to enhance its appearance.

C1 Restoring antique furniture requires skill in using shellac to achieve a perfect finish.

C2 The artist meticulously applied shellac to the canvas to preserve the painting for generations to come.

verb to coat or finish with shellac

Example Sentences

A1 I shellac my nails every week.

A2 She shellacs the furniture to give it a shiny finish.

B1 The carpenter shellacked the wooden table to protect it from water damage.

B2 The artist shellacs her paintings to preserve them for years to come.

C1 The antique collector carefully shellacs each piece to maintain its original beauty.

C2 The restoration expert shellacked the historic building to protect it from further decay.

Examples of shellac in a Sentence

formal The furniture was finished with a coat of shellac to protect the wood.

informal I'm thinking of shellacking the old table to give it a new look.

slang Let's shellac this project and get it done by tomorrow.

figurative Her words seemed to shellac any hope of reconciliation between them.

Grammatical Forms of shellac

past tense

shellacked

plural

shellacs

comparative

more shellac

superlative

most shellac

present tense

shellacs

future tense

will shellac

perfect tense

have shellacked

continuous tense

is shellacking

singular

shellac

positive degree

shellac

infinitive

to shellac

gerund

shellacking

participle

shellacking

Origin and Evolution of shellac

First Known Use: 1704 year
Language of Origin: French and Indian
Story behind the word: The word 'shellac' originated from the French word 'shellac' or 'schellack' which came from the Indian word 'shelak' or 'shalak'
Evolution of the word: Originally used to refer to a type of resin obtained from the lac insect in India, the term 'shellac' later evolved to also mean a type of varnish made from this resin. In modern usage, 'shellac' can also refer to a phonograph record made of shellac resin.