1. a white powder consisting of lead carbonate, formerly used as a cosmetic and in paint
Usage: archaic; historical

Examples

• Ceruse was a popular face powder among European women in the 16th and 17th centuries.
• The toxic effects of ceruse were not widely understood until much later.
• Old paintings often contain ceruse as a base pigment in the white areas.
• Ceruse was eventually banned in cosmetics due to its poisonous nature.
• The artist mixed ceruse with oils to create the pale underpainting.