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Definition of "veneer" []

  • A thin surface layer, as of finely grained wood, glued to a base of inferior material. (noun)
  • Any of the thin layers glued together to make plywood. (noun)
  • A decorative facing, as of brick. (noun)
  • A deceptive, superficial show; a façade: a veneer of friendliness. (noun)
  • To overlay (a surface) with a thin layer of a fine or decorative material. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "veneer" in a sentence
  • "They rarely draw the conclusion that the veneer is the most important thing about civilization."
  • ""But, at the same time," he said, "there were broader currents of discrimination that pushed against what I call the veneer of legal equality.""
  • "U.S. industry needs a steady supply of engineers and technicians to keep things humming, but the fact is that those who will really make a difference, who will come up with the products, or ideas, or research results that really mean something are a very thin veneer at the top."