Definition of Enamelware

Vitreous enamel, also porcelain enamel in U.S. English, is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between . The powder melts, flows, and then hardens to a smooth, durable coating on metal, and also glass or ceramics, although the use of the term "enamel" is often restricted to work on metal, which is all that this article covers; enameled glass is also called "painted". The fired enameled ware is a fully laminated composite of glass and metal. The word enamel comes from the High German word smelzan (to smelt) via the Old French esmail. Used as a noun, "an enamel" is a usually small decorative object, coated with enamel coating. Enameling is an old and widely-adopted technology, for most of its history mainly used in jewelry and decorative art, but since the 19th century applied also to industrial materials and everyday consumer objects, especially cooking vessels. "Enamelled" and "enamelling" are the preferred spellings in British English, while "enameled" and "enameling" are preferred in American English.