shellac
UK[ʃəˈlæk]US[ʃəˈlæk]
n
a type of varnish made from a resin secreted by the lac insect, dissolved in alcohol.
v
to coat or treat something with shellac.
v
(informal) to defeat or beat decisively.
Morpheme Breakdown
shell
ac
shell
ac
Etymology
the word 'shellac' is a compound formed from the english word 'shell' and a shortened form of 'lac', the name for the resin itself. 'lac' entered english from hindi 'lākh', which has origins in sanskrit 'lākṣā', referring both to the lac insect and the resin it produces. the 'shell' component was added in english to describe the resin's physical form when processed into thin, brittle sheets or flakes. thus, 'shellac' literally means 'lac in shell form', which accurately describes the traditional state of the purified resin before it is dissolved for use.
Analysis
Structure: shell + ac
shell (english, from old english 'scell', meaning a hard outer covering); ac (shortened form of 'lac', from hindi 'lākh', via persian and arabic, referring to the resinous substance).
Examples
the antique table was restored with a coat of traditional shellac.
we need to shellac the woodwork to protect it from moisture.
the home team got shellacked in the championship game, losing by forty points.