mezzotint

noun

mez·​zo·​tint ˈmet-sō-ˌtint  ˈmed-zō- 

1

: a manner of engraving on copper or steel by scraping or burnishing a roughened surface to produce light and shade

2

: an engraving produced by mezzotint

Examples of mezzotint in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Dox Thrash developed the carborundum mezzotint in the Philadelphia workshop, using the medium’s smoky tones to make atmospheric portraits. — John P. Murphy, ARTnews.com, 5 Apr. 2026

His prints from this time often used a combination of etching, line work and mezzotint. — oregonlive, 2 Oct. 2021

These spacious rooms are filled with treasures of their own, not least a vast collection of 18th century mezzotints, and on this occasion by the guests—including the absurdly handsome actor Quim Gutierrez. — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 14 June 2018

Though the heart of her work — graphite and charcoal drawings, mezzotint and woodcut prints, paintings — is often described as dark, it has always been backlighted, in a sense, by California sun. — Randy Kennedy, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2017

Word History

Etymology

modification of Italian mezzatinta, from mezza (feminine of mezzo) + tinta tint

First Known Use

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mezzotint

• fingerprint
• overprint
• peppermint
• blueprint
• footprint
• imprint
• misprint
• newsprint
• nonprint
• preprint
• reprint
• clint