[Fr., from Ital.] In pottery, a substance of a vitreous nature applied as a coating to the surface of pottery or porcelain. It is a fusible kind of glass, and is either transparent or opaque, and when transparent it forms a glaze. An enamel of a similar kind is used as a lining for the inside of iron vessels used in cooking. In the fine arts it is a substance applied as a coating for decorative purposes on the surface of porcelain or metal. - Enamel work. In this kind of work the chief decorative quality lies in the manner of its execution. There are distinct classes of it, as Cloisonnes, Champleve, translucent, and surface enamel.