cartridge paper
- noun
- /ˈkɑːrtɪdʒ ˈpeɪpər/
- UK
:
papel de dibujo
- The artist chose a thick, textured cartridge paper for her detailed sketches.
Examples
-
For the printing project, we decided to use bright white cartridge paper for better color reproduction.
-
He bought several sheets of cartridge paper to create his new watercolor paintings.
-
The slightly fuzzy cartridge paper that O'Keeffe routinely used during this period did not have a slick enough surface to allow the paint to move as needed to achieve this effect.
Academic text (2007) -
Not the usual paper, mind you—Walsh and Lynes insist that she used high-quality cartridge paper almost exclusively.
Academic text (2007)
Synonyms
∞
1.0
Thin material made from wood pulp used for writing, printing and wrapping
1
2.4
A sheet with a surface that is good for drawing or sketching
1
4.4
Paper that printers use for photos and magazines
How Thick
147
1.0
- UK
1
2.4
- Archaic
9
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
cartridge + paper
The meaning 'thick, high-quality paper for drawing or printing' is a specialized lexicalized sense that cannot be predicted from 'paper' plus the common senses of 'cartridge' (e.g. ink or ammunition cartridge). The modifier 'cartridge' does not transparently signal thickness or drawing quality, and the term is regionally specific and requires prior exposure, so a B1 learner knowing the individual words would likely not infer the correct meaning.
Etymology
Cartridge paper comes from an old use: people made cartridges, small paper tubes for holding gunpowder, so the paper had to be thick and strong. So, because that paper was strong and smooth, artists began to use it for drawing and printing, which is why cartridge paper today means 'thick, high-quality paper' for art.