papier-mâché

[ pey-per-muh-shey, -ma-; French pa-pyey-mah-shey ]
/ ˌpeɪ pər məˈʃeɪ, -mæ-; French pa pyeɪ mɑˈʃeɪ /

noun

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

made of papier-mâché.
easily destroyed or discredited; false, pretentious, or illusory: a papier-mâché façade of friendship.

Origin of papier-mâché

1745–55; < French: literally, chewed paper

Example sentences from the Web for papier-mache

British Dictionary definitions for papier-mache

papier-mâché
/ (ˌpæpjeɪˈmæʃeɪ, French papjemɑʃe) /

noun

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

made of papier-mâché

Word Origin for papier-mâché

C18: from French, literally: chewed paper