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 most comprehensive solo museum exhibition to date for the artist, approximately 50 works from 1959 to 1999–paintings, sculptures, etchings, drawings, assemblages, and musical compositions–are brought together. Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 Regularly cleaning your glass shower doors is essential for maintaining their clarity and protecting them from permanent damage or etching. Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 3 May 2025 The floor piece is almost like making a rubbing or an etching of that part of the footprint of the museum. Caitlin Woolsey, Artforum, 1 June 2025 Laser etching throughout the structure allows radar signals to pass through without compromising its heat-hiding abilities, according to SCMP. Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 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 30 Jun. 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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