isinglass

English

WOTD – 30 May 2016

Pieces of isinglass used to make tempera paints

An isinglass solution being added to a tank of wine to fine it – to improve its clarity and stability

Etymology

Apparently from obsolete Dutch huisenblas, from German Hausenblase, from Hausen (“sturgeon of the Huso genus”) + Blase (“bladder”).

Pronunciation

• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /ˈaɪzɪŋɡlɑːs/
• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) IPA^(key): /ˈaɪzɪŋɡlæs/
• (deprecated use of |lang= parameter) Hyphenation: i‧sin‧glass

Noun

isinglass (usually uncountable, plural isinglasses)

1. A form of gelatine obtained from the air bladder of the sturgeon and certain other fish, used as an adhesive and as a clarifying agent for wine and beer.
2. A thin, transparent sheet of mica (probably from its similarity to true isinglass).
   • [1914, A. J. Jarman, “Photographs upon Mica and Similar Material”, The Camera, London: [Camera Publishing Company], volume 18, number 7, OCLC 50541188, page 398:

     There is a general error prevalent that mica is isinglass, and many times it is spoken of as isinglass, but there is a great difference between the two. Mica is mainly composed of silicate of aluminum, while isinglass is a fish gelatine or glue […] ]

   • 1943, Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics), Richard Rodgers (music), “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top”, from Oklahoma!:

     The dashboard's genuine leather, / With isinglass curtains y' can roll right down, / In case there's a change in the weather.

Translations

gelatine obtained from fish

• Dutch: vislijm m
• Esperanto: iĥtiokolo
• Finnish: kalaliima
• French: ichtyocolle (fr) f
• Galician: cola de peixe (gl) f, ictiocola (gl) f
• German: Hausenblase f
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Greek: ιχθυόκολλα (el) f (ichthyókolla)
• Persian: کبد (fa) (kabad)
• Polish: karuk (pl) m
• Russian: ры́бий клей m (rýbij klej)
• Spanish: cola de pescado f, colapez (es) f
• Vietnamese: thạch (vi)

External links

• David Barthelmy (1997–2024) “Isinglass”, in Webmineral Mineralogy Database.