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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

woodblock

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

The work, inspired by Japanese woodblock prints, is intricately layered.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2023

A series of woodblock prints sequentially titled “Crowd” first suggest dissipating tributaries, but can also seem to resolve into the delicately gothic arches of Minoru Yamasaki’s original World Trade Center towers.

From New York Times ● Jan. 11, 2023

A running stream could be a glissando on a xylophone; thunder can be played with drums; footsteps with a woodblock, etc.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

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