pasteboard: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2/RareArchaic, Technical, Figurative
Quick answer
What does “pasteboard” mean?
A stiff material made by pasting together sheets of paper.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A stiff material made by pasting together sheets of paper.
1. The material used to make things like posters or cheap folders. 2. (historical/figurative) Something that appears solid but is actually flimsy or insubstantial. 3. (obsolete slang) A visiting card or a ticket.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical and equally rare. The figurative sense ('something flimsy') is slightly more attested in British literary sources.
Connotations
Conveys a sense of cheapness, impermanence, or a facade. In historical context, neutral.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects. More likely encountered in literature or historical texts than speech.
Grammar
How to Use “pasteboard” in a Sentence
[made] of pasteboardpasteboard [noun: box, ticket, sign]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “pasteboard” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- He lived in a pasteboard world of his own making.
American English
- The villain was a pasteboard cutout with no real motivation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually unused. Possibly in very niche packaging/historical product description.
Academic
Used in historical, literary, or bookbinding studies to refer to period materials.
Everyday
Extremely uncommon. Most would say 'cardboard'.
Technical
Used in specific crafts (e.g., bookbinding, model-making) to denote a specific type of board.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “pasteboard”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “pasteboard”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pasteboard”
- Using 'pasteboard' for modern corrugated cardboard (say 'cardboard').
- Spelling as 'paste board' (it's a closed compound).
- Pronouncing 'paste' as in 'pasta' (/pɑːst/). It's /peɪst/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Historically, yes, it referred to the material. Today, 'cardboard' is standard. 'Pasteboard' is archaic or used for specific types of stiff paperboard in crafts.
No, it is solely a noun (and occasionally a figurative adjective). There is no standard verb form.
Most likely in classic literature (e.g., Dickens, Melville), books on bookbinding or theatre history, or in figurative language to denote something fake.
Melville uses 'pasteboard masks' metaphorically to discuss the deceptive surface of reality, suggesting the world hides its true, terrifying nature behind a flimsy facade.
A stiff material made by pasting together sheets of paper.
Pasteboard is usually archaic, technical, figurative in register.
Pasteboard: in British English it is pronounced /ˈpeɪstbɔːd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈpeɪstbɔːrd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “on the pasteboard (archaic: on stage, in theatre)”
- “pasteboard world (a false or artificial world)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of PASTE + BOARD: a board made by pasting layers together. It's like cardboard but emphasises the glued, layered construction.
Conceptual Metaphor
PASTEBOARD IS INSINCERITY / LACK OF SUBSTANCE (e.g., 'a pasteboard hero' = a fake, flimsy hero).
Practice
Quiz
In a figurative sense, calling something 'pasteboard' implies it is: