rosemaling

ros·e·mal·ing
R1O1S1E1M3A1L1I1N1G2
UK/ˈɹəʊzəˌmɑːlɪŋ/UK/-sə-/UK/-ˌmɔː-/US/ˈɹoʊzəˌmɑlɪŋ/

noun

A Norwegian style of stylized floral decoration with scrollwork and geometric elements.

First used 1940s.Scrabble 13

Meanings

nounrosemaling (uncountable)

alternative rosemåling

  1. USuncountableA Norwegian style of stylized floral decoration with scrollwork and geometric elements.First known use 1940s.

    Rosemaling is the most recent of the Norwegian peasant crafts.

    1957, Sons of Norway, volume 54, Minneapolis, Minn.: Grand Lodge, Sons of Norway, →OCLC, page 209
    3 more examples

    The recent ethnic and arts and crafts revivals are reflected directly in what has happened among the Norwegians in Minnesota. For them the movement began with rosemaling, which in Minnesota has roots going back to about 1940. No rosemaling was done in Minnesota previously on which to base the movement. It was a direct extension of a slightly earlier rosemaling revival in Wisconsin, […]

    1989, Marion J. Nelson, “Folk Art in Minnesota and the Case of the Norwegian American”, in Circles of Tradition: Folk Arts in Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn.: Published for the University of Minnesota Art Museum by the Minnesota Historical Society Press, →ISBN, page 38

    Among the traditions the immigrants [from Norway to the US Upper Midwest] brought with them was rosemaling, decorative painting of stylized flowers and scrolls, with occasional figures. Originally painted onto the interior walls of peasant homes in Norway, rosemaling also adorned furniture, such as the Amerika trunks the immigrants used for storing valuables over their ocean voyages to the New World.

    2006, Philip Nusbaum, “Rosemaling”, in Richard Sisson, Christian Zacher, Andrew [R. L.] Cayton, editors, The American Midwest: An Interpretive Encyclopedia, Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press, →ISBN, page 410

    You've probably seen rosemåling before, even if the word is new to you. It's a style of Norwegian folk painting that features leaves, flowers, geometric patterns, and lush scrollwork. Since my family is very proud of its Norwegian heritage, and since both my mom and nana were really interested in folk painting when I was growing up, I've been surrounded by rosemåling for as long as I can remember.

    2016, Melissa Bahen, “Afternoon Fika”, in Scandinavian Gatherings: From Afternoon Fika to Midsummer Feast: 70 Simple Recipes & Crafts for Everyday Celebrations, Seattle, Wash.: Sasquatch Books, →ISBN, page 78

Origin

  1. Norwegian Nynorskrosemåling
  2. Middle Low Germanmālen“to paint”
  3. Norwegian Bokmålrosemaling“rose painting”
  4. Englishrosemaling

Borrowed from Norwegian Bokmål rosemaling (“rose painting”), from rose (“rose”) + maling (“painting”) (from male (“to paint”) (cognate with Old Danish malæ (Danish male), Old Norse mála, Old Swedish mala (Swedish mala), from Middle Low German mālen (“to paint”)) + -ing (suffix used to form nouns from verbs)). The form rosemåling is borrowed from Norwegian Nynorsk rosemåling with unadapted script.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch rosemaling
  • rosemalingTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

rosemaling. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rosemaling

MLA

“rosemaling.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rosemaling. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “rosemaling,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/rosemaling.

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