etched

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

etch /ɛtʃ/   v. 

1. Printing, Fine Art to engrave or cut into (a surface) with an acid, knife, or the like, esp. so as to form a design that can be transferred to paper: [no object]
   She enjoys etching.
   [~ + object]
   The sculptor etched the gravestone with a chisel.
2. Printing, Fine Art to produce (a design, image, etc.) by this method, as on copper or glass:
   [~ + object] The Swedish crystal was etched with a geometric design.
3. to outline clearly or sharply: delineate:
   [~ + object] His face was etched with lines of age and sorrow.
4. to fix or imprint firmly:
   [~ + object] His face is etched in my memory.

etch•er, n. [countable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

etch  (ech), v.t. 

1. Printing, Fine Art to cut, bite, or corrode with an acid or the like;
   engrave with an acid or the like, as to form a design in furrows that when charged with ink will give an impression on paper.
2. Printing, Fine Art to produce (a design, image, etc.) by this method, as on copper or glass.
3. to outline clearly or sharply;
   delineate, as a person's features or character.
4. to fix permanently in or implant firmly on the mind;
   root in the memory:
   Our last conversation is etched in my memory.
5. Geology to cut (a feature) into the surface of the earth by means of erosion:
   A deep canyon was etched into the land by the river's rushing waters.

v.i. 

6. Fine Art to practice the art of etching.

n. 

7. Printing an acid used for etching.

• German ätzen to etch, origin, originally cause to eat; cognate with Old English ettan to graze; akin to eat
• Dutch etsen
• 1625–35

etch′er, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

etch / ɛtʃ/ verb

1. (transitive) to wear away the surface of (a metal, glass, etc) by chemical action, esp the action of an acid
2. to cut or corrode (a design, decoration, etc) on (a metal or other plate to be used for printing) by using the action of acid on parts not covered by wax or other acid-resistant coating
3. (transitive) to cut with or as if with a sharp implement: he etched his name on the table
4. (tr; usually passive) to imprint vividly: the event was etched on her memory

Etymology: 17th Century: from Dutch etsen, from Old High German azzen to feed, bite

ˈetcher noun