Word Study
latten
CIDE DICTIONARY
latten, n. [OE. latoun, laton, OF. laton, F. laiton, prob. fr. OF. late lath, F. latte; -- because made in thin plates; cf. It. latta a sheet of tinned iron, tin plate. F. latte is of German origin. See Lath a thin board.].
- A kind of brass hammered into thin sheets, formerly much used for making church utensils, as candlesticks, crosses, etc.; -- called also
latten brass . [1913 Webster]"He had a cross of latoun full of stones." [1913 Webster] - Sheet tin; iron plate, covered with tin; also, any metal in thin sheets; as, gold latten. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
latten, n. an alloy of copper and zinc, often rolled into sheets, and formerly used for monumental brasses and church articles.
Etymology
ME latoun f. OF laton, leiton
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