Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The technique of decorating a surface with cutouts, as of paper.
  • noun A creation produced by this technique.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An art technique in which paper cut outs (either from magazines etc or specially made) are glued onto the surface of an object and sometimes painted or decorated
  • noun An artwork made by this technique
  • verb To perform or use the art technique of decoupage.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun art produced by decorating a surface with cutouts and then coating it with several layers of varnish or lacquer
  • noun the art of decorating a surface with shapes or pictures and then coating it with vanish or lacquer

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[French découpage, from découper, to cut up or out, from Old French descolper : des-, de- + colper, to cut (from colp, stroke; see coup).]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

French découpage, from découper ("to cut up").

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Examples

  • So the nation's Capitol also will be receiving a lot of muddy brown ornaments including a hip flask decorated in decoupage.

    It'll Be a Sad Christmas if Wyoming Can't Rustle Up Some Ornaments Leslie Eaton 2010

  • The English called decoupage 'japanning' in the 18th century, and it became popular with the upper and middle classes by the 19th century.

    BellaOnline - The Voice of Women 2009

  • Kurt is going to kill me though, if I keep saying the word 'decoupage'.

    heysusy 2008

  • Kurt is going to kill me though, if I keep saying the word 'decoupage'.

    heysusy 2008

  • Kurt is going to kill me though, if I keep saying the word 'decoupage'.

    heysusy 2008

  • Kurt is going to kill me though, if I keep saying the word 'decoupage'.

    heysusy 2008

  • Kurt is going to kill me though, if I keep saying the word 'decoupage'.

    heysusy 2008

  • I would decoupage wares and sell them at local fairs and churches (and got paid).

    Crossroad... - SpouseBUZZ 2009

  • The ostensible purpose of our meeting was to interview the polymath about the decoupage he assembled for Jaguar's party celebrating the 50th anniversary of the E-Type.

    A Royal Pronouncement Ralph Gardner Jr. 2011

  • At home, Mr. Monteiro said that he likes to mix and match "antique vintage" plates and has a soft spot for John Derian's decoupage and Jean-Baptiste Astier de Villatte, a French ceramicist.

    A Party for Painted Plates and Pediatricians Marshall Heyman 2011

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