Lacquer is a viscous, protective coating applied to surfaces such as wood, metal, or ceramics to give a durable finish and a glossy appearance. In everyday language, it also refers to the coating material itself. The term can describe both the product and the act of applying it, often used in craft, furniture, and manufacturing contexts.
"The antique table was restored with several coats of lacquer to restore its shine."
"She ordered a bottle of nail lacquer in a deep ruby color."
"The craftsman carefully brushed on the lacquer, letting each layer dry before the next."
"High-quality lacquer can provide a hard, durable surface that resists scratches."
Lacquer comes from the Old French laquer, meaning a varnish or varnish-like coating, which itself derives from Arabic al-qāqūr (lacquer) through Persian and Turkish intermediaries. The English term began to appear in the late Middle Ages, influenced by the Latin lac (lac tree resin) and early trade names for resin-based coatings. The modern sense expanded to include synthetic lacquers developed in the 19th and 20th centuries, including nitrocellulose and composite finishes used in furniture, automobiles, and consumer goods. The word’s evolution tracks the global expansion of finished surfaces and the demand for durable, high-gloss coatings. First known use in English citations appears in trade literature of the 15th–16th centuries, with glazing and varnish contexts dominating until industrial chemistry introduced synthetic lacquers in the 1920s, broadening both technical and everyday usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Lacquer"
-ker sounds
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Lacquer is pronounced /ˈlækər/ in General American and /ˈlækə/ in many British varieties. The primary stress is on the first syllable. The second syllable is a reduced schwa /ər/ in US English, often realized as /ə/. In careful speech you might hear two syllables as /ˈlæk.ər/; in fast speech, it compresses to /ˈlæ.kər/. Audio references: you can compare [Pronounce] or [Forvo] for native speaker samples.
Common mistakes include pronouncing it as /ˈlækəˌkɚ/ with a hard 'k' release in the second syllable, or misplacing stress on the second syllable (e.g., /ˈlækər/ with weak first syllable). Correction: maintain primary stress on the first syllable /ˈlæk-/ and reduce the second syllable to a short /ə/ or /ər/ depending on accent. Ensure the first vowel is short as in 'cat', not a long 'a'. Practice saying ‘lac’ + ‘ker’ quickly but with the second syllable light and reduced.
In US English, it's /ˈlækər/ with a rhotacized ending /ɚ/; in UK English many speakers say /ˈlækə/ with a non-rhotic ending and a clearer second syllable vowel; Australian English tends to mirror US rhotics but may have a slightly broader /ə/ quality in the second syllable. The main difference is rhoticity and vowel quality in the second syllable; the first syllable remains /læ/ across all. Listening to native examples on Pronounce or YouGlish helps hear these nuances.
The difficulty lies in the rapid reduction of the second syllable to a schwa or rhotic /ɚ/ in US speech, creating /ˈlækər/ that can sound like a linked 'lacked her' if not careful. Also, the initial /l/ followed by a short /æ/ can blur for speakers who mispronounce as /ˈlæk.ək/ with an extra syllable. Focus on two tasks: keep stress on the first syllable and softly articulate the second syllable as a quick /ə/ or /ɚ/ without adding a vowel in between.
Monitor the transition from /l/ to /æ/ to /k/ in the first syllable and the quick, reduced ending in the second syllable. A common search-query nuance is hearing it as two syllables with a full /ə/ in the second syllable; practice compressing the second syllable to a quick /ɚ/ or /ə/. Also, mind the 'ca' sound as 'ker' in US English vs 'ka' + 'h' in some non-rhotic variants, which can lead to mispronunciations like /ˈleɪ.kɔː/.
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