What does decalcomania mean?
Decalcomania is the art or technique of decorating another surface by transferring a design from a prepared sheet, usually paper. The sheet is placed against the object and the image is pressed or rubbed into place, creating a decoration that becomes part of the surface. The word can also name an individual image or object made this way, so it may function as a mass noun for the practice or a count noun for individual results. It belongs chiefly to art, design, craft, and decorative vocabulary, and its slightly theatrical name often suits playful or handcrafted work. Decalcomania is especially memorable because it names both the method and the transferred design, while its shortened relative, "decal," became the familiar term for stickers and markings applied to cars and other objects. The technique is more specific than simple painting because the design is made separately and then transferred, making it a useful term for discussing decoration, craft, and visual reproduction.
nounDecalcomania is the art or technique of decorating a surface by transferring a design from a prepared sheet, usually paper. The term can also refer to a decoration or design produced in this way.
- The art or technique of transferring a painted or drawn design from a prepared sheet onto another surface.
- A decoration or design produced by this technique.
"Her brightly colored decalcomania transformed the plain ceramic tiles into works of art."
"The students used paint and paper to create a vibrant decalcomania for the classroom wall."
"A rare example of 18th-century decalcomania was displayed at the museum."
The plural is used for individual designs or decorated objects made by the technique; the art or process itself is normally uncountable.
"The collection includes several decalcomanias made on ceramic tiles."
Its shortened relative, "decal," became the everyday word for the stickers and markings applied to cars, furniture, and appliances.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does decalcomania come from?
The word came into English from French décalcomanie, a term formed from décalquer, meaning "to trace" or "to copy." The French word developed in the 17th century, and English borrowed it in the 19th century for the decorative transfer technique. The related English words calque and decal come from the same French copying and tracing vocabulary, with decal ultimately developing as a shortened form of decalcomania.
How decalcomania is actually used
The word belongs mainly to art, design, craft, and historical vocabulary. It is usually uncountable when referring to the technique, but a count noun when referring to individual transferred designs or decorated objects.
Easily confused with decalcomania
A decal is a particular transferable design or sticker, whereas decalcomania is the technique of transferring a design from a prepared sheet onto a surface.