nail polishn.
/ˈneɪl ˌpɒlɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈneɪl ˌpɑlɪʃ/ Varnish applied to the fingernails or toenails in order to give them lustre or (now esp.) a particular colour.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > beautification > beautification of the person > beautification of the body > [noun] > beautification of the hands and feet > polish for nails
nail polish1857
polish1906
nail enamel1907
nail varnish1926
nail lacquer1966
1857 Evening Star (Washington) 12 Dec. 4/2 (advt.) Oriental Nail Polish, giving a beautiful lustre to the finger nails, at Gibbs's Hair Store, near 18th street, Pa. ave.
1881 Mrs. M. L. Rayne Gems of Deportment xiii. 159 The paring process over, a diamond nail-polish is applied with a soft brush, and the nails are rubbed with a polisher..until their brilliancy partakes of the nature of a highly enameled surface.
1914 Washington Herald 20 Sept. (Mag. section) Pearls can be brought to a brilliant polish by first rubbing them in olive oil..then by applying a red nail polish.
1977 Time 28 Feb. 48/1 Oh God, red nail polish—I look like a sleaze.
2008 Vanity Fair June 133/3 Today she's wearing a pale-yellow, vaguely peasant-y T-shirt blouse, a pair of expensive-looking jeans, and chipped black nail polish.
Compounds
nail polish remover n. a substance used to remove nail polish, typically containing a solvent such as acetone.
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1922 Evening World (N.Y.) 22 Sept. 17/3 (advt.) Manicure articles... Ola nail polish remover.
1999 Warwick Boar 19 Jan. (The Core section) 3/1 Get rid of the scratches on plastic watches by dipping a cotton bud in nail polish remover and rubbing it over the face.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1857