verdigris

/ˌvʌrdəˈgris/

Other forms: verdigrised

Verdigris is the blue-green tarnish on certain metals after they are left outside for a long period of time. A lot of churches have rooftops coated with verdigris, and many capitol buildings have verdigris on their domes.

Bronze, brass, and copper metals get verdigris because of exposure to air and wetness, especially saltwater. The Old French origin of verdigris literally translates to "green of Greece," which can help you remember how to pronounce the word: VURR-de-Greece. The word is a noun that refers to the actual layer of green pigment that coats a surface. It’s a handsome color, and many painters use verdigris when they want a sea-foam look.

Definitions of verdigris

1. noun

   a green patina that forms on copper or brass or bronze that has been exposed to the air or water for long periods of time
   type of:

   patina

   a fine coating of oxide on the surface of a metal
2. noun

   a blue or green powder used as a paint pigment
   synonyms: cupric acetate

   type of:

   pigment

   dry coloring material (especially a powder to be mixed with a liquid to produce paint, etc.)
3. verb

   color verdigris
   type of:

   color, color in, colorise, colorize, colour, colour in, colourise, colourize

   add color to