woodblock

American  

[wood-blok] / ˈwʊdˌblɒk /

noun

1. a block of wood engraved in relief, for printing from; woodcut.

2. a print or impression from such a block.

3. a hollow block of hard wood struck with a wooden stick or mallet and used in the percussion section of an orchestra.

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adjective

1. made from a woodblock.

   woodblock prints.

Etymology

Origin of woodblock

First recorded in 1830–40; wood ¹ + block

Example Sentences

After that moving and unsettling encounter, the woodblock landscapes at Scholten Japanese Art offer an oasis in the middle of the Armory’s busy drill hall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Enlarged cutouts of samurai from woodblock prints strike aggressive poses between displays.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 7, 2026

Simply put, photographs were still scarce, relatively speaking, but they were on their way to replacing woodblock illustrations in newspapers and periodicals to become the dominant form of visual media.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2025

While researching imagery, she developed a fascination with Scandinavian ceramics, 17th-century botanical illustrations and Japanese woodblock prints dating back to the 1500s.

From New York Times • Mar. 14, 2024

One rack with sixteen copper pots and pans hanging over a woodblock table.

From "Okay for Now" by Gary D. Schmidt