shagreen

noun

sha·​green sha-ˈgrēn How to pronounce shagreen (audio)
shə-
1
: an untanned leather covered with small round granulations and usually dyed green
2
: the rough skin of various sharks and rays when covered with small close-set tubercles
shagreen adjective

Examples of shagreen in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Knoll and Jean-Michel Frank chairs are covered in a woven tweed; a desk, lavishly covered in his signature shagreen — or sanded sharkskin — punctuates the main room. — Rose Apodaca Jones, WWD, 16 Aug. 2024 Expect a cerulean and chrome color pallet accented by mercurial mirrors, pops of coral, and brass with surfaces lined in gray wood veneer, pearlescent shagreen, and Arabescato marble, conferring a feminine yet art deco aesthetic. — David Morris, Travel + Leisure, 19 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

by folk etymology from French chagrin, modification of Turkish sağrı

First Known Use

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of shagreen was in 1677

Rhymes for shagreen

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Browse Nearby Words

shagrag
shagreen
shah
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Cite this Entry

“Shagreen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shagreen. Accessed 14 Aug. 2025.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about shagreen

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