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ja·pan

(jə-păn)

1. A black enamel or lacquer used to produce a durable glossy finish.

2. An object decorated with this substance.

tr.v.ja·panned, ja·pan·ning, ja·pans

1. To decorate with a black enamel or lacquer.

2. To coat with a glossy finish.

[AfterJapan.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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