Word of the Day

: July 30, 2007

verdigris

noun VER-duh-greess

What It Means

: a green or bluish deposit especially of copper carbonates formed on copper, brass, or bronze surfaces

verdigris in Context

It seems like every building on campus features some combination of brick, ivy, and verdigris.

Did You Know?

"Green of Greece" -- that is the literal translation of "vert de Grece," the Anglo-French phrase from which the modern word "verdigris" descends. A coating of verdigris forms naturally on copper and copper alloys such as brass and bronze when those metals are exposed to air. (It can also be produced artificially.) The word "verdigris" has been associated with statuary and architecture, ancient and modern, since it was first used in the 14th century. Some American English speakers may find that they know it best from the greenish blue coating that covers the copper of the Statue of Liberty.