1. Making engraved or etched plates and printing designs from them
   "Rembrandt's etchings are highly valued for their detail and expressiveness";
   - engraving
    
2. An etched plate made with the use of acid
   "The artist carefully prepared the etching for printing"
    
3. An impression made from an etched plate
   "The gallery exhibited a series of Rembrandt's etchings"

1. Selectively dissolve the surface of something with a solvent (or laser, stream of electrons, etc.) to produce a desired design or effect
   "The artist etched intricate patterns onto the glass surface"
    
2. Carve or cut a design or letters into
   "etch the pen with the owner's name";
   - engrave
    
3. Make an etching of
   "He etched her image into the surface"
    
4. Carve or cut into a block used for printing or print from such a block
   "etch a letter";
   - engrave
    
5. Cause to stand out or be clearly defined or visible
   "a face etched with pain"; "the leafless branches etched against the sky"

Derived forms: etchings

Type of: carve, chip at, dissolve, engraving, print, printmaking, show

Encyclopedia: Etching