decalcomania

[ dih-kal-kuh-mey-nee-uh, -meyn-yuh ]
/ dɪˌkæl kəˈmeɪ ni ə, -ˈmeɪn yə /

noun

the art or process of transferring pictures or designs from specially prepared paper to wood, metal, glass, etc.

Origin of decalcomania

1860–65; < French décalcomanie, equivalent to décalc- (representing décalquer to transfer a tracing of, equivalent to dé- de- + calquer to trace) + -o- -o- + -manie -mania

Example sentences from the Web for decalcomania

  • "I'd have to go home first and get my decalcomania book," Jimmy stipulated.

    The Believing Years |Edmund Lester Pearson
  • I remember once decorating a card for Mother with some decalcomania pictures.

    The Story of Porcelain |Sara Ware Bassett
  • The hat with movement is like a free-hand sketch, a hat without movement like a decalcomania.

    Woman as Decoration |Emily Burbank

British Dictionary definitions for decalcomania

decalcomania
/ (dɪˌkælkəˈmeɪnɪə) /

noun

the art or process of transferring a design from prepared paper onto another surface, such as china, glass or paper
a design so transferred

Word Origin for decalcomania

C19: from French décalcomanie, from décalquer to transfer by tracing, from dé- de- + calquer to trace + -manie -mania