onionskin

noun

on·​ion·​skin ˈən-yən-ˌskin How to pronounce onionskin (audio)
: a thin strong translucent paper of very light weight

Examples of onionskin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Through most of the 20th century, architectural offices were filled with armies of draftsmen, grease pencils and onionskin paper. Lauren Weber, WSJ, 18 Mar. 2020 Colors ranged from the palest onionskin to an almost brilliant maraschino cherry, yet the color was rarely a clue to the body and character of the wine. The New York Times News Service Syndicate, The Denver Post, 28 Dec. 2019 Most followed the prevailing Provençal fashion: rosés the color of pale onionskin. Eric Asimov, New York Times, 5 July 2018 To me, the smell would resemble that of time itself, something like onionskin paper. Anicka Yi, The New Yorker, 9 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'onionskin.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of onionskin was in 1879

Dictionary Entries Near onionskin

Cite this Entry

“Onionskin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/onionskin. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

onionskin

noun
on·​ion·​skin -ˌskin How to pronounce onionskin (audio)
: a thin strong nearly transparent paper of very light weight
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