niello

[ nee-el-oh ]
/ niˈɛl oʊ /

noun, plural ni·el·li [nee-el-ee] /niˈɛl i/.

a black metallic substance, consisting of silver, copper, lead, and sulfur, with which an incised design or ground is filled to produce an ornamental effect on metal.
ornamental work so produced.
a specimen of such work.
a print on paper made from an incised metal plate before the application of niello and associated especially with 15th-century Italy.

verb (used with object), ni·el·loed, ni·el·lo·ing.

to decorate by means of niello; treat with niello or by the niello process.

Origin of niello

1810–20; < Italian < Latin nigellus blackish, diminutive of niger black

OTHER WORDS FROM niello

ni·el·list, noun

Words nearby niello

niebuhr, niece, niederrhein, niedersachsen, niederösterreich, niello, nielsen, nielsen rating, nieman, niemann-pick cell, niemann-pick disease

Example sentences from the Web for niello

British Dictionary definitions for niello

niello
/ (nɪˈɛləʊ) /

noun plural -li (-lɪ) or -los

a black compound of sulphur and silver, lead, or copper used to incise a design on a metal surface
the process of decorating surfaces with niello
a surface or object decorated with niello

verb -los, -loing or -loed

(tr) to decorate or treat with niello

Derived forms of niello

niellist, noun

Word Origin for niello

C19: from Italian from Latin nigellus blackish, from niger black