Patinare

Patinare is a verb in Italian that covers two principal meanings: skating and patination. It is used for moving on ice with skates and, in artistic and metallurgical contexts, for altering a surface to develop a patina.

In the context of sport and recreation, patinare means to skate, whether on ice with ice skates or on wheels with roller or inline skates. For the sport itself, the related noun is patinaggio, which refers to skating as an activity or discipline, including forms such as figure skating and speed skating. The everyday verb emphasizes the act of gliding smoothly across a surface.

In metallurgy and art, patinare describes the process of applying or allowing a patina to form on a metal surface. A patina is a thin, often colored layer produced by oxidation or chemical treatments, sometimes accelerated by heat. Patination can serve protective purposes and is valued for its aesthetic effects, giving objects such as sculptures, jewelry, furniture, and architectural elements an aged or colored finish. Techniques vary from chemical patinas that produce greens, blues, or browns to heat patination that yields controlled surface tones.

The concept of patina and the verb patinare are used across disciplines, from everyday language about skating to professional restoration and decorative finishes. See also patina and patinage, which cover related ideas in surface finishing and skating culture.