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The Blogging From A to Z April Challenge: V is for Verdigris

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

My posts in the The Blogging From A to Z April Challenge are all about interesting words. Words that are weird, intriguing, poetic or just plain cool ...


V is for Verdigris

Verdigris is the blue-green patina formed on copper, brass or bronze when it is exposed to air or water for a long time.

The word derives from the Old French phrase verte grez, meaning green of Greece. Why Greece? Actually, that's not clear. It could be because verdigris  was used as a pigment by artists and so would presumably have been employed by Greek painters in antiquity. Or perhaps not.

Still, it's a nice word. Hard to imagine a gothic novel without it ...








Archaeopteryx Blunderbuss Chthonic Dreadnought Entropy Fulgurite Gargantua Humbucking Ichthyic Juggernaut Kappa Labyrinthine Megrim Numinous Ophidian Pandemonium Quark Ragnarök Shibboleth Thing Umami Verdigris

Posted by Simon Kewin at 08:00

13 comments:

  1. Elise Fallson25 April 2012 at 09:39

    Verdigris is a new one for me. And the lady in the picture...I feel like I've seen her before...(;
    A-Z is almost over, only 4 more posts, hard to believe.

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  2. Gail M Baugniet - Author25 April 2012 at 09:58

    I like the picture you chose to illustrate your word of the day. Never heard the word verdigris before but it has a nice ring to it.
    http://gail-baugniet.blogspot.com Theme: A World of Crime

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  3. Simon Kewin25 April 2012 at 11:25

    Elise - I know, it's flown by. Haven't a clue what I'm doing for W though...

    Gail - Glad it was of interest!

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  4. Old Kitty25 April 2012 at 12:03

    Trust the French to confuse the issue! LOL! Oh I'm kidding!!!!
    Love this - so oooh-la-la! Take care
    x

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  5. Simon Kewin25 April 2012 at 13:51

    Old Kitty - Indeed! It's intriguing too. I'd love to know why they started saying "green of Greece".

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  6. Tracy Moore25 April 2012 at 16:01

    Nice word Simon. :) I had not heard of the word before your post...or at least I do not remember it. Like the sound of it though and it's interesting that there is a term for that lovely green patina. :)

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  7. Simon Kewin25 April 2012 at 17:17

    Tracy - It's not far from the color of your hair judging by your profile!

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  8. nutschell25 April 2012 at 21:31

    I didn't even know there was a name for that! thanks for the new word, Simon!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous25 April 2012 at 23:35

    Thanks for expanding my vocabulary this month, Simon!

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  10. Golden Eagle25 April 2012 at 23:55

    Verdigris. I always associated the word with vertigo before. :P


    The Golden Eagle
    The Eagle's Aerial Perspective

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  11. Nicole26 April 2012 at 05:10

    Hadn't heard of this one, but it makes perfect sense now!

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  12. Simon Kewin26 April 2012 at 07:19

    Thanks, guys. Glad it was informative!

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  13. Hilary Melton-Butcher26 April 2012 at 18:33

    Hi Simon .. Verdigris is around everywhere .. cheers Hilary

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I'd love to know what you think.