etch
[ ech ]
/ ɛtʃ /
Save This Word!
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
to practice the art of etching.
noun
Printing. an acid used for etching.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!
Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of etch
1625–35; <Dutch etsen<German ätzen to etch, originally cause to eat; cognate with Old English ettan to graze; akin to eat
OTHER WORDS FROM etch
etcher, nounun·etched, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for etch
“Have” vs. “Has”: When To Use Each One
What Is An Em Dash And How Do You Use It?
Why Do “Left” And “Right” Mean Liberal And Conservative?
Systematic vs. Systemic: There’s A System To The Difference
The Evolving Language Around The Autism Spectrum: What You Need To Know
What Do “a.m.” And “p.m.” Stand For?
British Dictionary definitions for etch
etch
/ (ɛtʃ) /
verb
(tr) to wear away the surface of (a metal, glass, etc) by chemical action, esp the action of an acid
to cut or corrode (a design, decoration, etc) on (a metal or other plate to be used for printing) by using the action of acid on parts not covered by wax or other acid-resistant coating
(tr) to cut with or as if with a sharp implementhe etched his name on the table
(tr; usually passive) to imprint vividlythe event was etched on her memory
Derived forms of etch
etcher, nounWord Origin for etch
C17: from Dutch etsen, from Old High German azzen to feed, bite
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012