ENGLISH
REFERENCE

engraving

n. C / U
C1 Advanced US //ɪnˈɡɹeɪvɪŋ// UK //ɛnɡɹˈeɪvɪŋ// en·grav·ing

n. a picture or design made by cutting lines into a hard surface like metal, wood, or glass. It can also mean the act of making these marks.

n. a print made from an incised plate, or the process of incising a design into a hard surface. Often used to refer to the physical object produced by this technique.


SIMPLE

The old book contains a beautiful engraving of the city.

CONTEXTUAL

The artist spent weeks on the intricate engraving, carefully carving every detail into the copper plate.

COMPLEX

Nineteenth-century journals often relied on steel engraving to produce the sharp, fine lines necessary for detailed botanical illustrations and architectural diagrams.

Synonyms
Origin

By surface analysis, engrave + -ing.

Usage

Uncountable when referring to the art form or process; countable when referring to a specific print or piece of art.

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