papier-mâché

[ pey-per-muh-shey, -ma-; French pa-pyey-mah-shey ]

noun

1. a substance made of pulped paper or paper pulp mixed with glue and other materials or of layers of paper glued and pressed together, molded when moist to form various articles, and becoming hard and strong when dry.

adjective

1. made of papier-mâché.
2. easily destroyed or discredited; false, pretentious, or illusory:

   a papier-mâché façade of friendship.

papier-mâché

/ ˌpæpjeɪˈmæʃeɪ; papjemɑʃe /

noun

1. a hard strong substance suitable for painting on, made of paper pulp or layers of paper mixed with paste, size, etc, and moulded when moist

adjective

1. made of papier-mâché

Word History and Origins

Origin of papier-mâché¹

1745–55; < French: literally, “chewed paper”

Word History and Origins

Origin of papier-mâché¹

C18: from French, literally: chewed paper

Example Sentences

Moore surveyed the scene and saw shipping containers ripped apart “like papier-mache.”

From Seattle Times

Huge papier-mache skeletons have also become a popular part of the processions which precede the Day of the Dead.

From BBC

Mr. Townsend focuses on the lack of budget, the sets’ minutia such as the papier-mache sculptures and Mr. Ballhaus’ lighting choices.

From Washington Times

As the center’s day camps for elementary school children began this week, science projects with papier-mache volcanoes were being built inside, using kiddie pools to contain the mess.

From Seattle Times

Holding yellow flowers and rattles, the shamans walked around a papier-mache globe as they performed a cleansing ritual.

From Reuters