engraving

American  

[en-grey-ving] / ɛnˈgreɪ vɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or art of a person who or thing that engraves.

2. the art of forming designs by cutting, corrosion by acids, a photographic process, etc., on the surface of a metal plate, block of wood, or the like, for or as for the purpose of taking off impressions or prints of the design so formed.

3. the design engraved.

4. an engraved plate or block.

5. an impression or print from this.

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engraving British  

/ ɪnˈɡreɪvɪŋ /

noun

1. the art of a person who engraves

2. a block, plate, or other surface that has been engraved

3. a print made from such a surface

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engraving Cultural  

1. An artistic print made from a metal plate on which an artist has cut a design with a graver or a small chisel. (Compare etching.)

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Etymology

Origin of engraving

First recorded in 1595–1605; engrave + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Later historians described this engraving and, despite having never seen the painting, catalogued its existence.

From Barron's

They settled in Philadelphia and, as a teenager, he learned engraving and earned a living incising designs for silverware firms—no doubt honing his talent for detail.

From The Wall Street Journal

Dental-lab technicians shifted from manual molds to digital scanning and CAD/CAM; etchers and engravers moved from hand tools to digital engraving.

From The Wall Street Journal

A copy of the only painting depicting the sinking of the Mary Rose, the engraving was created sometime between 1545 and 1548.

From Literature

There is a station with free cookies and coffee and an engraving stand to brand the glasses cases with initials or designs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• etching
• illustration
• inscription
• lithograph
• woodcut