blown-glass
Meaning
Made by shaping molten glass by blowing air into it through a tube.
Structure
Usage
The museum featured an exquisite collection of blown-glass ornaments.
She admired the delicate swirls in the blown-glass vase.
The artisan demonstrated the ancient technique of creating blown-glass bottles.
Etymology
The compound adjective 'blown-glass' transparently describes its manufacturing process. The first element, 'blown', originates from the Old English verb for expelling air, which in this context refers to the artisan's technique of inflating a gather of molten glass. The second element, 'glass', has ancient Germanic roots referring to the transparent, brittle substance. The term's logic is entirely literal, combining the action ('blown') with the material ('glass') to specify objects formed by the classic glassblowing method, a craft dating back over two millennia.
Analysis
- blown: From Old English blāwan (to blow, breathe, inflate). A past participle form of the verb 'blow', indicating the action performed. - glass: From Old English glæs, of Germanic origin. The material being shaped.