origami
Americannoun
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origamis
plural
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the traditional Japanese art or technique of folding paper into a variety of decorative or representational forms, as of animals or flowers.
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an object made by origami.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of origami
1920–25; < Japanese, equivalent to ori fold + -gami, combining form of kami paper
Explanation
Have you ever folded a square sheet of paper into the shape of a crane? That's origami, the art of paper folding. Some origami is incredibly complicated and takes a long time to learn, while even small children can easily create simpler origami designs. Every piece of finished origami, whether it's a dog or an umbrella or a box, begins with a sheet of paper and specific folding techniques. Origami comes from two Japanese words, ori, "fold," and kami, "paper."
Vocabulary lists containing origami
Visual Arts - Introductory
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Visual Arts - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One evening, Emily Kagan, a poet and healthcare executive who was one of the facilitators, passed around markers and colored sheets of origami paper.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
They used a DNA origami nanotechnology platform called DoriVac, which functions as both a vaccine and an adjuvant.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 17, 2026
However, the DNA origami vaccine showed advantages in stability and was easier to store and manufacture.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 17, 2026
In the meantime, traditional, paper-folding origami remains a pursuit adored by many.
From BBC ● Mar. 3, 2026
He makes me an origami penguin, crane, cow, and caterpillar.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
