1
: purified lac usually prepared in thin orange or yellow flakes by heating and filtering and often bleached white
2
: a preparation of lac dissolved usually in alcohol and used chiefly as a wood filler and finish
3
a
: a composition containing shellac formerly used for making phonograph records
b
: an old 78 rpm phonograph record
shellacked; shellacking
1
: to coat or otherwise treat with shellac or a shellac varnish
2
: to defeat decisively
Examples of shellac in a Sentence
Verb
the local football team was shellacked 35-0 in their final outing for the season
Recent Examples on the Web
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
Wood cabinets are finished with a variety of durable, protective coatings such as varnishes, lacquers, and, on some vintage cabinets, shellac.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025
Jim Cramer, CNBC, 16 Mar. 2025
The floor tiles are actual pennies, which were installed and shellacked by the owner.
—Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, Architectural Digest, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shellac
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Noun
Lacquer is a layer of shellac mixed with alcohol that's used to coat higher-end pieces of furniture.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 16 Mar. 2025
Wood cabinets are finished with a variety of durable, protective coatings such as varnishes, lacquers, and, on some vintage cabinets, shellac.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
These big tech company stocks stood there no matter what kind of shellacking the futures dealt us.
—Jim Cramer, CNBC, 16 Mar. 2025
The floor tiles are actual pennies, which were installed and shellacked by the owner.
—Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, Architectural Digest, 11 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for shellac
Cite this Entry
“Shellac.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shellac. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
shellac
1 of 2 noun
shel·lac
shə-ˈlak 
1
: purified lac
2
: a preparation of lac dissolved in alcohol and used as a wood filler or finish
shellac
2 of 2 verb
shellacked; shellacking
: to coat or treat with shellac
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