batik

American  

[buh-teek, bat-ik] / bəˈtik, ˈbæt ɪk /

Or battik

noun

1. a technique of hand-dyeing fabrics by using wax as a dye repellent to cover parts of a design, dyeing the uncovered fabric with a color or colors, and dissolving the wax in boiling water.

2. the fabric so decorated.

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verb (used with object)

1. to hand-dye (material) using the technique of batik.

batik British  

/ ˈbætɪk /

noun

1. 1. a process of printing fabric in which parts not to be dyed are covered by wax

   2. fabric printed in this way

   3. ( as modifier )

      a batik shirt

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Etymology

Origin of batik

First recorded in 1875–80, batik is from the Javanese word baṭik

Explanation

Batik is cloth that's decorated using wax and dye. The patterns created using the batik technique are often elaborate and multicolored. Batik comes from the Javanese bathik and roots meaning "to write" and "dot." Like tie dye, batik is a resist dying technique — both methods create areas of the fabric that are impervious to dye. Batik patterns are often more intricate because an artist draws or writes on cloth using hot wax, leaving those precise lines and dots undyed. The process can be repeated with new patterns and additional dye colors, resulting in beautifully decorated fabric.