esmal

Old French

Alternative forms

• esmail; asmail; amail; esmaille, amaille

Etymology

From Medieval Latin smaltum, from Frankish *smalt (“melted fat”).

Noun

esmal oblique singular, m (oblique plural esmaus or esmax or esmals, nominative singular esmaus or esmax or esmals, nominative plural esmal)

1. enamel (glossy material)

Descendants

• Middle French: esmail
  • French: émail (see there for further descendants)
• Picard: émaîy, émay (Athois)
• Walloon: èmay (Forrières, Liégeois)
• → Middle English: esmale, awmayl, amall

• ⇒ Old French: amailler
  • ⇒ Old French: enamailler
    • → Middle English: enamaylen, enamelen, innamylen
      • English: enamel