etching

noun

etch·​ing ˈe-chiŋ How to pronounce etching (audio)
1
a
: the action or process of etching
b
: the art of producing pictures or designs by printing from an etched metal plate
2
a
: an etched design
b
: an impression from an etched plate

Examples of etching in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The pieces have tonal text blocks, laser-etchings, as well as streamlined collars to emphasize design simplicity and purpose. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 9 Oct. 2025 The best-known is folk icon La Calavera Catrina, a zinc etching of a smiling skeleton wearing an oversize hat topped with features and flowers, created by José Guadalupe Posada in the early 1900s. Sarah Buder, AFAR Media, 8 Oct. 2025 And the camel etchings give clues to the circumstances of the encounters. Martin J. Kernan, Scientific American, 30 Sep. 2025 According to Stein, the acid can eat away at the stone’s finish and cause dull spots or etching. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for etching

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of etching was in 1634

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Cite this Entry

“Etching.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/etching. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

etching

noun
etch·​ing ˈech-iŋ How to pronounce etching (audio)
1
a
: the act or process of etching a hard material
b
: the art of printing from an etched metal plate
2
a
: a product of etching
b
: a print made from an etched metal plate

More from Merriam-Webster on etching

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