papier mâché
/papɪeɪ ˈmaʃeɪ
/noun [mass noun]
A malleable mixture of paper and glue, or paper, flour, and water, that becomes hard when dry, used to make boxes, trays, or ornaments: George was constructing a crocodile out of papier mâché [as modifier]: a papier mâché sculpture...
- In Birmingham, simple hand tools could be used to punch metal into a wide range of shapes; alloys could be used to imitate expensive gold and silver; papier mâché could be made to resemble fine japanned ware.
- Dolls made of papier mâché, aluminium and copper blends, brass craft items from Hyderabad and Uttar Pradesh that could be used to decorate drawing or living rooms and front offices.
- Unable to afford metal, and with plastic not yet in common use, he made his first legionnaires' helmets from papier mâché over clay moulds.
Origin
French, literally 'chewed paper'.