champlevé

[ shahn-luh-vey ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

of or relating to an enamel piece or enameling technique in which enamel is fused onto the incised or hollowed areas of a metal base.

noun

, plural champ·le·vés [shah, n, -l, uh, -, vey, -, veyz].

an enamel piece made by the champlevé method.
the technique used to produce champlevé enamels.

champlevé

/ ʃɑ̃lve; ˌʃæmpləˈveɪ /

adjective

of or relating to a process of enamelling by which grooves are cut into a metal base and filled with enamel colours

noun

an object enamelled by this process

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Word History and Origins

Origin of champlevé¹

1855–60; < French, past participle of champlever to lift (i.e., take out) a field (i.e., a flat part), make hollow places on the ground to be engraved; camp ¹, lever

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Word History and Origins

Origin of champlevé¹

C19: from champ field (level surface) + levé raised

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Example Sentences

One more book in the British Museum has champlevé enamels upon it, evidently by the same workman.

From Project Gutenberg

The technical process known as champlevé was performed in two ways.

From Project Gutenberg

It might not, perhaps, occur to the casual visitor that a Jeypore plate of champlevé enamel represents the work of four years.

From Project Gutenberg

From the close of the twelfth century champlevé enamel upon copper was much employed for the decoration of morses.

From Project Gutenberg

The best example of those enriched with champlevé enamel is the Lyte Jewel (p. 303).

From Project Gutenberg

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