origami

noun

ori·​ga·​mi ˌȯr-ə-ˈgä-mē How to pronounce origami (audio)
: the Japanese art or process of folding squares of paper into representational shapes

Examples of origami in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Additionally, the worm has expandable sections built in its head and tail inspired by a type of Japanese origami called kirigami, that uses cuts as well as folds. — Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026 Volkswagen hasn't attempted to turn its three-row family hauler into a rolling origami experiment or a study in aerodynamic sculpture. — New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2026 Fung + Bedford created a large art installation suspended from the ceiling, with two feather-like forms, inspired by origami and the watermark found on Smythson’s featherweight paper. — David Moin, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 Rather than outfitting all of her staffers in Pleats Please as the internet had hoped, Woo returns from her trips to Taiwan with a haul of Yamasaki Takashi, a Harajuku brand founded on bringing origami principles to clothing. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for origami

Word History

Etymology

Japanese, from ori fold + kami paper

First Known Use

1948, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of origami was in 1948

Rhymes for origami

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Browse Nearby Words

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origami
origan
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Cite this Entry

“Origami.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/origami. Accessed 2 Nov. 2026.

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Kids Definition

origami

noun
ori·​ga·​mi ˌȯr-ə-ˈgäm-ē How to pronounce origami (audio)
: the Japanese art of folding paper into shapes

More from Merriam-Webster on origami

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about origami

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