affresco

fresco

noun ahf-FREH-skoh Rare

Origin: From the Italian phrase dipingere a fresco — 'to paint on fresh (plaster)'.

Usage Note

Affresco is the technique of painting on fresh wet plaster so that pigments bond as it dries. Italy possesses some of the world's most celebrated affreschi, from Giotto to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. The plural gli affreschi follows the -co/-chi rule (hard 'k' sound preserved).

Examples

"L'affresco della cappella è del Quattrocento."

Natural Translation

The chapel's fresco is from the 15th century.

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