intaglio

American  

[in-tal-yoh, -tahl-, een-tah-lyaw] / ɪnˈtæl yoʊ, -ˈtɑl-, inˈtɑ lyɔ /

noun

plural

intaglios,

plural

intagli

1. incised carving, as opposed to carving in relief.

2. ornamentation with a figure or design sunk below the surface.

3. a gem, seal, piece of jewelry, or the like, cut with an incised or sunken design.

4. an incised or countersunk die.

5. a figure or design so produced.

6. a process in which a design, text, etc., is engraved into the surface of a plate so that when ink is applied and the excess is wiped off, ink remains in the grooves and is transferred to paper in printing, as in engraving or etching.

7. an impression or printing from such a design, engraving, etc.

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verb (used with object)

1. to incise or display in intaglio.

intaglio British  

/ ɪnˈtɑːlɪˌəʊ, ɪnˈtɑːlɪˌeɪtɪd /

noun

1. a seal, gem, etc, ornamented with a sunken or incised design, as opposed to a design in relief Compare cameo

2. the art or process of incised carving

3. a design, figure, or ornamentation carved, engraved, or etched into the surface of the material used

4. any of various printing techniques using an etched or engraved plate. The whole plate is smeared with ink, the surface wiped clean, and the ink in the recesses then transferred to the paper or other material

5. an incised die used to make a design in relief

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Other Word Forms

• intagliated
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of intaglio

1635–45; < Italian, derivative of intagliare to cut in, engrave, equivalent to in- in- ² + tagliare to cut < Late Latin tāliāre, derivative of Latin tālea a cutting; see tally

Explanation

Intaglio is a kind of printmaking in which a carved design is coated with ink and wiped with a cloth; the resulting print comes from ink in the carved grooves. In intaglio, the shape that ends up printed on paper, cloth, or some other surface is carved out of a metal plate. The plate is either engraved by hand or burned with acid, using a technique called "etching." You can also use the word intaglio to describe a type of sculpture or jewelry making in which designs are etched or engraved. In Italian, intaglio means "engraved work," from intagliare, "to cut in."

Example Sentences

Gems he has returned and will now go on display include an intaglio made from black glass with a bust of Minerva, the Roman goddess of wisdom.

From BBC • Feb. 1, 2024

A collection-based exhibition is now in the works, focusing on intaglio prints from the Renaissance to the present, likely to open in December.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2023

Hundreds of historical images of Manhattan are rendered in sumptuous color or in monochromatic plates produced by intaglio, the method used to print currency.

From New York Times • Oct. 28, 2015

Sediles also is showing some abstract intaglio prints, bold and monochromatic, and two sketchy acrylics that follow the traditional wide-angle approach.

From Washington Post • Jul. 17, 2015

Instead, I am staring at the pile of notes, at the soft wax impressions, an intaglio in reverse.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

Related Words

• chisel
• embed
• etch
• imprint
• ingrain
• inscribe