Definition

A person who works with white metals, especially in finishing or polishing metal items.

Example

The whitesmith carefully polished the silverware until it shone brightly.

Conversation

I just learned that a whitesmith is someone who polishes metal items.

Really? I had no idea there was a specific term for that.

Yeah, it's interesting how many different types of metalworkers there are.

For sure! I wonder what kind of projects a whitesmith typically works on.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Whitesmith → The word is formed from "white" (from Old English "hwita", meaning bright or light in color) and "smith" (from Old English "smitan", meaning to strike or to work with metal). A whitesmith is a metalworker who works with light-colored metals, such as tin or pewter, often polishing them to a bright finish.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'bright' ('white') metalworker ('smith') who creates shiny items, which helps you remember that a whitesmith works with light-colored metals.

Visually Confused Words