filigree
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Filigree — Fil i*gree, a. Relating to, composed of, or resembling, work in filigree; as, a filigree basket. Hence: Fanciful; unsubstantial; merely decorative. [1913 Webster] You ask for reality, not fiction and filigree work. J. C. Shairp. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
filigree — or filágree [fil′i grē΄] n. [altered from earlier filigrain < Fr filigrane < It filigrana < L filum, a thread (see FILE1) + granum, GRAIN] 1. delicate, lacelike ornamental work of intertwined wire of gold, silver, etc. 2. any delicate… … English World dictionary
filigree — 1690s, shortening of filigreen (1660s), from Fr. filigrane filigree (17c.), from It. filigrana, from L. filum thread (see FILE (Cf. file) (v.)) + granum grain (see CORN (Cf. corn) (1)). Related: Filigreed … Etymology dictionary
Filigree — Fil i*gree, n. [Corrupted fr. filigrane.] Ornamental work, formerly with grains or breads, but now composed of fine wire and used chiefly in decorating gold and silver to which the wire is soldered, being arranged in designs frequently of a… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
filigree — [n] ornamental art fretwork, interlace, lacework, lattice, ornamentation, tracery; concept 473 … New thesaurus
filigree — (also filagree) ► NOUN ▪ delicate ornamental work of fine gold, silver, or copper wire. DERIVATIVES filigreed adjective. ORIGIN from Latin filum thread + granum seed ) … English terms dictionary
Filigree — For the concrete system, see Filigree concrete. sterling Horse and Buggy, Filigree work … Wikipedia
filigree — /fil i gree /, n., adj., v., filigreed, filigreeing. n. 1. delicate ornamental work of fine silver, gold, or other metal wires, esp. lacy jewelers work of scrolls and arabesques. 2. anything very delicate or fanciful: a filigree of frost. adj. 3 … Universalium
filigree — I. noun Etymology: modification of French filigrane, from Italian filigrana, from Latin filum + granum grain more at corn Date: 1693 1. ornamental work especially of fine wire of gold, silver, or copper applied chiefly to gold and silver surfaces … New Collegiate Dictionary
filigree — [17] Etymologically, filigree describes very accurately how filigree was originally made: it was delicate ornamental work constructed from threads (Latin filum) and beads (Latin grānum ‘grain, seed’). The Italian descendants of these two Latin… … The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins
filigree — fil•i•gree [[t]ˈfɪl əˌgri[/t]] n. adj. v. greed, gree•ing 1) jew delicate ornamental work of fine silver, gold, or other metal wires, esp. lacy jewelers work of scrolls and arabesques 2) anything very delicate or fanciful: a filigree of… … From formal English to slang
