decoupage

American  

[dey-koo-pahzh] / ˌdeɪ kuˈpɑʒ /

noun

1. the art or technique of decorating something with cut-outs of paper, linoleum, plastic, or other flat material over which varnish or lacquer is applied.

2. work produced by the art or technique of decoupage.

---

verb (used with object)

decoupaged, decoupaging

1. to decorate by decoupage.

   walls decoupaged with photographs of movie stars.

2. to apply or use as decoupage or by decoupage technique.

   Let's decoupage these maps onto the tabletops.

decoupage British  

/ ˌdeɪkuːˈpɑːʒ /

noun

1. the art or process of decorating a surface with shapes or illustrations cut from paper, card, etc

2. anything produced by this technique

---

Etymology

Origin of decoupage

1955–60; < French découpage a cutting out, equivalent to Middle French decoup ( er ) to cut out ( de- de- + couper to cut; see coupé, coup ¹) + -age -age

Example Sentences

Metal utility carts come in a range of colors; if you can paint, then stencil or decoupage one yourself.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 7, 2022

She loved to make flower arrangements, do decoupage and play the piano, Gregory said.

From Washington Times • Nov. 28, 2020

Recently appointed the creative director of Ralph Lauren Home, Cotton was raised in a Federal-style house in Burlington, Vt., and his first job was with the decoupage artist and East Village shopkeeper John Derian.

From New York Times • Feb. 27, 2020

But a new line of glass decoupage plates by designer John Derian and artist Katharine Barnwell feature patterns taken from six presidential administrations.

From Washington Post • Oct. 29, 2018

Our stacks of Cosmopolitan were topped with an unread issue of Boy's Life or Sports Illustrated, and our decoupage projects were concealed beneath the sporting equipment we never asked for but always received.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris