zinc white

English

Etymology

Partially within English and partially as a calque of French blanc de zinc after Edme-Jean Leclaire greatly improved its quality and industrialized its production in a suburb of Paris, France.

Noun

zinc white (uncountable)

1. A form of zinc oxide powder used as an artist's pigment.
   • 2021, Judith Rainhorn, The Colour of Controversy..., p. 4:

     Such eminent and renowned scientists as Fourcroy, Berthollet and Vauquelin all enthusiastically supported zinc white, the defects of which "are so slight compared to the disadvantages of using white lead, that its adoption cannot be reasonably refused."

Hyponyms

• Chinese white