india paper
Preserved but no longer current.
A creamy-coloured printing- paper originally made in China and Japan from vegetable fibre, and used for taking off the finest proofs of engraved plates; hence India proof, the proof of an engraving on India paper, before lettering.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “india paper” mean?
A creamy-coloured printing- paper originally made in China and Japan from vegetable fibre, and used for taking off the finest proofs of engraved plates; hence India proof, the proof of an engraving on India paper, before lettering.
Is “india paper” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.