japanning

ja·pan

J j

Definitions of japanning word

noun japanning any of various hard, durable, black varnishes, originally from Japan, for coating wood, metal, or other surfaces. 1
noun japanning work varnished and figured in the Japanese manner. 1
noun japanning Japans, a variety of decorative motifs or patterns derived from Asian sources, used on English porcelain of the 18th and 19th centuries. 1
adjective japanning of or relating to japan. 1
verb with object japanning to varnish with japan; lacquer. 1
verb with object japanning to coat with any material that gives a hard, black gloss. 1

before 1605

One of the 40% oldest English words

First recorded in 1605-15; special use of Japan

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 95% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.

Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer