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   etch

   /ɛtʃ/

   verb

   • 1. engrave (metal, glass, or stone) by coating it with a protective layer, drawing on it with a needle, and then covering it with acid to attack the parts the needle has exposed, especially in order to produce prints from it: "aquatint is a process of achieving tone by etching a metal plate" Similar engravecarveinscribecut (in)incisechiselchasescorenotchimprintimpressdebossstampprintmark
   • ▪ use the etching process to produce (a print or design): "the gallery has 12,000 prints engraved and etched by celebrated masters"
   • 2. (of an acid or other solvent) corrode or eat away the surface of (something): "caustic soda etches glass" Similar corrodebite intoeat into/awayburn into
   • ▪ selectively dissolve the surface of (a semiconductor or printed circuit) with a solvent, laser, or stream of electrons: "ballistic electron emission microscopy is used to etch templates for even smaller circuits"
   • 3. cut or carve (a text or design) on a surface: "her initials were etched on the table flap"
   • ▪ mark (a surface) with a carved text or design: "a Pictish stone etched with mysterious designs"
   • ▪ cause to stand out or be clearly defined or visible: "the outline of the town was etched against the sky"
   • ▪ (of an experience, image, etc.) be permanently fixed in someone's memory: "the events remain etched in the minds of all who witnessed them"

   noun

   • 1. the action or process of etching something: "semiconductor production processes such as plasma etch"

   Word Origin mid 17th century: from Dutch etsen, from German ätzen, from a base meaning ‘cause to eat’; related to eat.

   Derivatives

   • 1. etcher noun

   Scrabble Points: 9

   • E

     1

   • T

     1

   • C

     3

   • H

     4

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