origami

American  

[awr-i-gah-mee] / ˌɔr ɪˈgɑ mi /

noun

plural

origamis

1. the traditional Japanese art or technique of folding paper into a variety of decorative or representational forms, as of animals or flowers.

2. an object made by origami.

---

origami British  

/ ˌɒrɪˈɡɑːmɪ /

noun

1. the art or process, originally Japanese, of paper folding

---

Etymology

Origin of origami

1920–25; < Japanese, equivalent to ori fold + -gami, combining form of kami paper

Example Sentences

Tanizaki’s capacious tale is as intricate as origami—and the Makioka women are memorable, both as subtly drawn individuals and a collective.

From The Wall Street Journal

Adding the shirt bunches up my sack lunch, and I just know my PB&J is going to come out looking like smushed-up bread origami.

From Literature

“This? It’s an origami mask,” she said to an inquiring passerby.

From Los Angeles Times

Fabrics are variously folded like origami, appliqued, quilted, embroidered, beaded, gathered, pleated, printed, felted, dyed, etched, lasered and layered.

From Los Angeles Times

Hardest look Blount: Building some of the more statuesque wigs with cages and creating hair origami to add to them.

From Los Angeles Times