woodcut

noun

wood·​cut ˈwu̇d-ˌkət How to pronounce woodcut (audio)
1
: a relief printing surface consisting of a wooden block with a usually pictorial design cut with the grain
2
: a print from a woodcut

Examples of woodcut in a Sentence

a collection of fine woodcuts
Recent Examples on the Web On the staircase, discover an Anton Gormley woodcut print. Melinda Sheckells, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2023 Small printmaking studios double as galleries, displaying the woodcuts, lithographs and engravings of local art collectives. Elisabeth Malkin, New York Times, 23 Nov. 2023 In small woodcuts and drypoint etchings of the early 1920s, the shallow spaces and hard angles Beckmann initially applied to Christian motifs get redeployed for portraits, party scenes and acid views of Weimar society. Jason Farago, New York Times, 10 Nov. 2023 Events include a book signing with woodcut artist Tom Huck on Friday, a poster show at Mid Main Gallery on Saturday, and a printmaking showcase and print sale at Saint Arnold Brewery on Sunday. Brittanie Shey, Chron, 20 Apr. 2023 Much of his work are woodcuts, where ink and image merge into alchemy. Dianne Solis, Dallas News, 18 Apr. 2023 Semicircles feature prominently in Eve Stockton’s large woodcuts in the Long View show. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 9 June 2023 The result, released in 1989, is spare and elegant, showcasing a single recipe and woodcut image per page, highlighting his clear-eyed understanding of what constitutes a good cookbook: an evocative theme, a distinct progression of recipes and an invitation to the reader to collaborate. Kristen Hartke, Anchorage Daily News, 24 Sep. 2022 The birth of the Antichrist was sometimes depicted as a cesarean; in one 15th-century woodcut, a winged demon clutches the new baby by his wrist while the mother looks away with her head cocked from exhaustion, or horror, a gaping wound still furrowing her stomach. New York Times, 21 July 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'woodcut.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1662, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of woodcut was in 1662

Dictionary Entries Near woodcut

Cite this Entry

“Woodcut.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woodcut. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

woodcut

noun
wood·​cut -ˌkət How to pronounce woodcut (audio)
1
: a printing surface having a raised design carved from a block of wood
2
: a print from a woodcut

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