Added 10 October 2026
etch
/ɛt͡ʃ/ verb
verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about etch at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- To cut into a surface with an acid or other corrosive substance in order to make a pattern. Best known as a technique for creating printing plates, but also used for decoration on metal, and, in modern industry, to make circuit boards.
- To engrave a surface.
-
To make a lasting impression.
The memory of 9/11 is etched into my mind.
noun
Origin
From Dutch etsen (“to etch”), from German ätzen (“to etch”), from Old High German azzon (“to cause to bite or feed”), from Proto-Germanic *atjaną, causative of *etaną (“to eat”) (whence also English eat).
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)