hachure

1 of 2

noun

ha·chure ha-ˈshu̇r

: a short line used for shading and denoting surfaces in relief (as in map drawing) and drawn in the direction of slope

hachure

2 of 2

verb

hachured; hachuring

transitive verb

: to shade with or show by hachures

Did you know?

Hachuring is an old map-drawing technique that was largely replaced in later years by the use of contour lines, or lines that connect points of similar elevation. The word hachure, which can also be a noun referring to one of the short lines used in hachuring, comes from the French hacher, meaning "to chop up" or "hash." This French word is also the source of the verbs hash, which can mean "to chop (food, such as meat and potatoes) into small pieces," among other meanings, and hatch, meaning "to inlay with narrow bands of distinguishable material" and "to mark (something, such as a drawing or engraving) with fine closely spaced lines."