etching

American  

[ech-ing] / ˈɛtʃ ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or process of making designs or pictures on a metal plate, glass, etc., by the corrosive action of an acid instead of by a burin.

2. an impression, as on paper, taken from an etched plate.

3. the design so produced.

4. a metal plate bearing such a design.

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etching British  

/ ˈɛtʃɪŋ /

noun

1. the art, act, or process of preparing etched surfaces or of printing designs from them

2. an etched plate

3. an impression made from an etched plate

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etching Cultural  

1. An artistic print made from a plate on which the artist has etched a design with acid. (Compare engraving.)

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Etymology

Origin of etching

First recorded in 1625–35; etch + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Until now, most MXenes have been produced using chemical etching, a process that leaves a mix of surface atoms such as oxygen, fluorine, or chlorine scattered randomly across the material.

From Science Daily • Apr. 4, 2026

Chip makers use it to maintain stable temperatures while etching silicon wafers into advanced semiconductors.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026

The venture would also presumably need equipment for etching and deposition, which are manufacturing and packaging processes.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 23, 2026

A day later, crews could be seen etching the president's name on the building's façade.

From BBC • Dec. 27, 2025

A huge, black bird springs out; it perches on her bureau, looking just like the etching of the raven in Yo's first English poetry book.

From "How the García Girls Lost Their Accents" by Julia Alvarez

Related Words

• engraving
• inscription
• reproduction