1  definition  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Zaffer  \Zaf"fer\,  n.  [F.  zafre,  safre;  cf  Sp  zafra  safra,  It 
  saffera  G.  zaffer;  all  probably  of  Arabic  origin.  Cf 
  {Zaphara}.] 
  A  pigment  obtained,  usually  by  roasting  cobalt  glance  with 
  sand  or  quartz,  as  a  dark  earthy  powder.  It  consists  of  crude 
  cobalt  oxide,  or  of  an  impure  cobalt  arseniate.  It  is  used  in 
  porcelain  painting,  and  in  enameling  pottery,  to  produce  a 
  blue  color,  and  is  often  confounded  with  smalt,  from  which 
  however,  it  is  distinct,  as  it  contains  no  potash.  The  name 
  is  often  loosely  applied  to  mixtures  of  zaffer  proper  with 
  silica,  or  oxides  of  iron,  manganese,  etc  [Written  also 
  {zaffre},  and  formerly  {zaffree},  {zaffar},  {zaffir}.] 

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