enamel
ih-NAM-uhl · noun
Origin
Enamel comes from Middle English enamel, from Anglo-Norman enamailler (en- 'in' + amailler 'to enamel'), a variant of Old French esmailler, from esmal 'enamel', from Early Medieval Latin smaltum, from Frankish *smalt, from Proto-Germanic *smeltaną 'to melt, smelt'.
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Journey
The verb enamelen developed from the noun once the material and its name had already passed through French and Anglo-Norman hands into English.
Related words
It shares its deepest root, Proto-Germanic *smeltaną, with the English word 'smelt' — both point back to the idea of melting metal down.