massicot

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French massicot; English masticot is a corruption.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmæsɪkəʊ/

Noun

massicot (countable and uncountable, plural massicots)

1. (chemistry) lead monoxide, PbO, obtained as a yellow amorphous powder, the fused and crystalline form of which is called litharge; lead ocher. It is used as a pigment; also, lead oxide yellow, as opposed to red lead, which is lead tetroxide Pb₃O₄.
   • 1952, L.F. Salzman, Building in England, page 169:

     Besides orpiment, already referred to, one occasionally gets mention of massicot, a yellow lead paint.

Usage notes

• Massicot is sometimes used by painters, and also as a drier in the composition of ointments and plasters.

Translations

lead monoxide

• Spanish: masicote

Anagrams

• acosmist, somatics

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma.si.ko/

• Audio

  (file)

Etymology 1

Influenced by Italian marzacotto, but ultimately from Arabic مرداسنج (“lead oxide”).

Noun

massicot m (plural massicots)

1. massicot

Etymology 2

massicot

From the name of Guillaume Massiquot (1797-1870), the inventor of the machine. Previously the common noun was also spelt massiquot.

Noun

massicot m (plural massicots)

1. guillotine, a machine for cutting paper and sheet metal

Derived terms

• massicotier

Further reading

• “massicot”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.