papier-mâché

American  

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

Also paper-mâché

noun

1. 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.

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adjective

1. made of papier-mâché.

2. easily destroyed or discredited; false, pretentious, or illusory.

   a papier-mâché façade of friendship.

papier-mâché British  

/ ˌpæpjeɪˈmæʃeɪ, papjemɑʃe /

noun

1. 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

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adjective

1. made of papier-mâché

Etymology

Origin of papier-mâché

1745–55; < French: literally, “chewed paper”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

papier-mâché

If they existed at all, those guardrails were constructed of papier-mâché.

From Salon ● May 18, 2026

“The glue doesn’t stick. I’ve been doing papier-mâché for weeks.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 24, 2025

One of the most famous involved Frank Morris, and brothers Clarence and John Anglin, who escaped in June 1962 by placing papier-mâché heads in their beds and breaking out through ventilation ducts.

From BBC ● May 10, 2025

Above us were giant papier-mâché heads of alebrijes — colorful Mexican folk art figurines — used at LA Librería’s recent appearance at the L.A.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 15, 2024

There were a few low-key rides, and a game in which players threw tennis balls at papier-mâché likenesses of Idi Amin and Richard Nixon.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris