Plaster of Paris
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
Gypsum, especially cal- cined gypsum used for making statuary casts, keeping broken limbs rigid for setting, etc. It js found in large quantities in the quarries of Montmartre, near Paris.
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 “Plaster of Paris” mean?
Gypsum, especially cal- cined gypsum used for making statuary casts, keeping broken limbs rigid for setting, etc. It js found in large quantities in the quarries of Montmartre, near Paris.
Is “Plaster of Paris” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.