repoussé

UK/ɹəˈpuːseɪ/US/ɹəˌpuːˈseɪ/

noun

A metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is ornamented or shaped by hammering from the reverse side.

OriginFrench repoussé ← Latin pulsare →
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Meanings

nounrepoussé (uncountable)
  1. uncountableA metalworking technique in which a malleable metal is ornamented or shaped by hammering from the reverse side.

    […] the extraordinary thinness of the walls of these vases, which reminds us of the finest china, or even of Venetian glass. Some of them have elements in their designs stamped out into low relief to represent the repoussé ornament natural to such metal-work.

    1907, Ronald M. Burrows, The Discoveries In Crete, page 60
verbrepoussé (third-person singular simple present repoussés, present participle repousséing, simple past and past participle repousséed or repousséd)

present singular third person repoussés · participle present repousséing · participle past repousséed · past repousséed · participle past repousséd · past repousséd

  1. To use this metalworking technique.

Origin

  1. Latinpulsare“to push”
  2. Frenchrepoussé“pushed up”
  3. Englishrepoussé

Borrowed from French repoussé (“pushed up”), ultimately from Latin pulsare (“to push”).

More words from French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 捶揲
  • 捶揲 (chuíshé)metalworking technique
German Ziselieren
  • Ziselierenmetalworking technique
Cite this entry
APA

repoussé. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/repouss%C3%A9

MLA

“repoussé.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/repouss%C3%A9. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “repoussé,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/repouss%C3%A9.

Source: repoussé on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.