Today's Word "patina"
A superficial layer or exterior
on
Published in Vocabulary
patina \PAT-n-uh; puh-TEEN-uh\ (noun) - 1 : The color or incrustation which age gives to works of art; especially, the green rust which covers ancient bronzes, coins, and medals. 2 : The sheen on any surface, produced by age and use. 3 : An appearance or aura produced by habit, practice, or use. 4 : A superficial layer or exterior.
"It was not color so much as a patina overlaying the grayish hue of before, a patina that indicated the true sleep of recuperation." -- Jane Feather, 'Almost Innocent'
Patina is adopted from Italian, from Latin patina, "a dish" (from the incrustation on ancient metal plates and dishes).