enamel
n. uncountablen. the hard, white outer layer of your teeth that protects them. It can also mean a shiny, hard coating used to decorate metal or pottery.
n. the hard, calcareous substance forming the outermost layer of the crown of a tooth; also refers to a vitreous, opaque, or semi-transparent coating applied to metal, glass, or ceramic surfaces.
Sugary drinks can damage the enamel on your teeth.
The dentist warned that brushing too hard can wear down the protective enamel over time.
The artisan applied a delicate layer of blue enamel to the copper vase before firing it in the kiln to achieve a glossy finish.
From Middle English enamel, from Anglo-Norman enamailler, from en- (“in-”) + amailler (“to enamel”), variant of Old French esmailler (“to enamel”), from esmal (“enamel”), from Early Medieval Latin smaltum, from Frankish smalt, from Proto-Germanic smeltaną (“to melt, smelt”).
From Middle English enamelen, from the noun (see above).
Uncountable when referring to the substance in general; occasionally countable when referring to specific types of industrial coatings.