smalt

[ smawlt ]

noun

1. a coloring agent made of blue glass produced by fusing silica, potassium carbonate, and cobalt oxide, used in powdered form to add color to vitreous materials.

smalt

/ smɔːlt /

noun

1. a type of silica glass coloured deep blue with cobalt oxide
2. a pigment made by crushing this glass, used in colouring enamels
3. the blue colour of this pigment

Word History and Origins

Origin of smalt¹

1550–60; < Middle French < Italian smalto smalto

Word History and Origins

Origin of smalt¹

C16: via French from Italian smalto , of Germanic origin; related to smelt ¹

Example Sentences

In addition to these, the Forbes Collection has a poor man’s blue—smalt made from crushed cobalt containing potassium glass, which weakens, eventually, to a thin greeny-brown gray.

From The New Yorker

Tverdokhlebov, now 80, said he would create a large sketch of the proposed mosaic design, and when it was approved he would then travel personally to a factory in Lisichansk, eastern Ukraine, to order the smalt – specially prepared ceramic tiles made from heating glass.

From The Guardian

“Later, they would deliver the smalt, and a team of masters would work with me on cutting and assembling it here in Almaty,” he said.

From The Guardian

There’s a whole lot in between that — like Paul’s segment about the salt shaker Smalt — so listen to it all and you’ll get it all.

From The Verge

Those are words you can read right now, with your own eyes on the recently launched Indiegogo campaign for SMALT, "The World's First Interactive Centerpiece and Smart Salt Dispenser."

From The Verge