PLASTER OF PARIS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does plaster of Paris mean? 

• PLASTER OF PARIS (noun)
  The noun PLASTER OF PARIS has 1 sense:

1. any of several gypsum cements; a white powder (a form of calcium sulphate) that forms a paste when mixed with water and hardens into a solid; used in making molds and sculptures and casts for broken limbs

  Familiarity information: PLASTER OF PARIS used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• PLASTER OF PARIS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Any of several gypsum cements; a white powder (a form of calcium sulphate) that forms a paste when mixed with water and hardens into a solid; used in making molds and sculptures and casts for broken limbs

Classified under:

Nouns denoting substances

Synonyms:

plaster; plaster of Paris

Hypernyms ("plaster of Paris" is a kind of...):

calcium sulfate; calcium sulphate (a white salt (CaSO4))

Meronyms (substance of "plaster of Paris"):

gypsum (a common white or colorless mineral (hydrated calcium sulphate) used to make cements and plasters (especially plaster of Paris))

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "plaster of Paris"):

gesso (gypsum or plaster of Paris spread on a surface to make it suitable for painting or gilding (or a surface so prepared))

 Context examples 

The cast was taken in two moulds from each side of the face, and then these two profiles of plaster of Paris were joined together to make the complete bust.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)