Learning a word

In the past, when I worked to expand my English vocabulary, I learned to parse a word down to its roots, seek words with similar roots, and generally analyze my way through them. Alas, the short words defeat this process totally: either you know them or they sink you.

Thanks to Craig, I came across "frit" (not fret or flit), best understood by this passage:

There are more than fifteen hundred panels of glass in the InterActiveCorp building, and almost every one is unique; they curve to fit the shape of the façade, gently concave one moment, convex the next. The white color is provided by ceramic dots, known as frits, bonded to the glass. Fritting is a common way of reducing glare in glass buildings, but Gehry has exploited its potential for drama. Each panel is densely fritted at the top and bottom but nearly clear at eye level. Viewed from the outside, the building exhibits dark, hazy horizontal stripes, as if the glass had been spray-painted.