pâte-sur-pâte

noun

A method of porcelain decoration in which a relief design is created on an unfired, unglazed body by applying successive layers of slip (liquid clay) with a brush, and then carving it to produce fine detail, before the piece is fired.

OriginFrench pâte-sur-pâte →
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Meanings

nounpâte-sur-pâte (uncountable)
  1. uncountableartA method of porcelain decoration in which a relief design is created on an unfired, unglazed body by applying successive layers of slip (liquid clay) with a brush, and then carving it to produce fine detail, before the piece is fired.

Origin

  1. Frenchpâte-sur-pâte
  2. Englishpâte-sur-pâte

From French pâte-sur-pâte (literally “paste on paste”).

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

pâte-sur-pâte. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/p%C3%A2te-sur-p%C3%A2te

MLA

“pâte-sur-pâte.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/p%C3%A2te-sur-p%C3%A2te. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pâte-sur-pâte,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/p%C3%A2te-sur-p%C3%A2te.

Source: pâte-sur-pâte on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.