Main Entry: ¹etch

Pronunciation: \ˈech\

Function: verb

Etymology: Dutch etsen, from German ätzen to etch, corrode, from Old High German azzen to feed; akin to Old High German ezzan to eat — more at eat

Date: 1634

transitive verb 1 a : to produce (as a pattern or design) on a hard material by eating into the material's surface (as by acid or laser beam) b : to subject to such etching
2 : to delineate or impress clearly <scenes etched in our minds> <pain was etched on his features>intransitive verb : to practice etching

— etch·er noun