A smooth, glossy finish applied to paper or fabric through calendering (a pressing process), creating a sleek appearance.
From French 'gauliner,' possibly derived from a proper name or regional textile technique. May be related to older European textile terminology, though the exact origin is not definitively established.
The smooth paper in high-end magazines and books comes from processes like gaulin—industrialization made glossy finishes affordable, yet the technique's name has become so specialized that most people don't know the word for that satisfying slick feeling.
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