Definition: an enameling technique, in which a design is created using fine metal wires fixed to a metal plate; the spaces or cells are then inlaid with bits of colored enamel that are fused to the background (in contrast to plique-à-jour, which lacks any backing); while the method is a very old one - dating back to ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt, as well as 4th-century Byzantium - the term originated in the 1860s (cloisonné means "compartmentalized" or "partitioned" in French), when European interest in Asian decorative arts sparked a vogue in enameled jewelry (though the Chinese and Japanese often used the technique on tableware and objets as well)
Pronunciation: claw-son-nay
Also Known As: cell enamel
Example: The bright colors and intricate floral design of the cloisonné enamel brooch were marvels to behold, 150 years after the piece was made.