Word
engraving
Phoneticsen·grav·ing, stress on the second syllable
US/ɪnˈɡɹeɪvɪŋ/
UK/ɛnɡɹˈeɪvɪŋ/
Countable & uncountable
Definition
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.
Examples
“The old book contains a beautiful engraving of the city.”
“The artist spent weeks on the intricate engraving, carefully carving every detail into the copper plate.”
“Nineteenth-century journals often relied on steel engraving to produce the sharp, fine lines necessary for detailed botanical illustrations and architectural diagrams.”
Examples
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.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the art form or process; countable when referring to a specific print or piece of art.
Real-World Examples
“More than 60,000 years ago, humans in southern Africa were engraving ostrich eggshells with intricate geometric patterns that appear far more organized than previously realized.” “Five engravings by the Brazilian artist Candido Portinari that were also taken during the robbery have not yet been recovered.” Etymology
By surface analysis, engrave + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/engraving