MEANING
To develop, or give something, the surface coloring or sheen associated with age or exposure.
Use it for
describing an aged finish on bronze or copper; showing a surface acquiring character over time; distinguishing a patina from destructive rust; describing an intentionally aged surfaceDescribes an aged surface finish that may add beauty or character, rather than assuming all surface change is destructive. Writing functions: Decay / Deterioration.
Words that belong together
- patinated bronze
- naturally patinated copper
- patinate with age
On the page
The bronze doors had patinated unevenly, green gathering in the folds of the figures.
She left the copper untreated, allowing it to patinate with the years.
Word forms
- Base
- patinate
- Past tense
- patinated
- Past participle
- patinated
- Present participle
- patinating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- patinate
- Present continuous
- am/is/are patinating
- Present perfect
- have/has patinated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been patinating
- Past
- patinated
- Past continuous
- was/were patinating
- Past perfect
- had patinated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been patinating
- Future
- will patinate
- Future continuous
- will be patinating
- Future perfect
- will have patinated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been patinating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Transitive or intransitive: patinates; patinated; patinated; patinating. Often encountered as patinated. The coloring or sheen may develop naturally or be produced through treatment. Register: neutral. Commonness: uncommon; established in art, design, and material description (dictionary-informed qualitative editorial estimate; not a measured frequency).
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