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graving

graving

8.8
An engraved design cut into metal, wood or stone
  • noun
  • /ˈɡreɪvɪŋ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : grabado
  • The artist admired the delicate graving on the antique silver box.

Examples

  • Each trophy was personalized with a unique graving of the winner's name.

  • The old coin bore a faint graving around its edge that showed the king's portrait.

  • The graving on the ring was exquisite.

  • She admired the intricate graving on the trophy.

  • The artist admired the delicate graving on the antique silver box.

  • Each trophy was personalized with a unique graving of the winner's name.

  • The old coin bore a faint graving around its edge that showed the king's portrait.

Synonyms

engraving
vsgraving
25 4.1

A picture made by cutting or etching a hard surface

is the general term for the same finished work created by that technique
lettering
vsgraving
18 2.8

Words painted or carved on a surface to show a name

covers both such lettered work and non-text engraved designs
etching
vsgraving
14 6.3

A picture made by cutting a metal plate with acid or the process of making that picture

includes such images but also designs made by other acid or cutting processes
inscription
vsgraving
10 5.0

The act of carving or writing words on a hard surface

refers more broadly to any engraved design or finished engraved work
wood engraving
vsgraving
1 5.2

A print or method of making prints by cutting a design into a wood block and pressing paper onto it

covers engraved works in any material, not only prints made from wood blocks
gravure
vsgraving
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A printing method using a metal plate cut to make rich, detailed pictures

focuses on the engraved design itself rather than the commercial printing process
intaglio
vsgraving
  • Specialized
9.9

A design cut below the surface of hard stone or a gem

is the finished visible design raised or incised on the surface rather than the technique
line engraving
vsgraving
  • Specialized
7.6

A picture made by cutting lines into metal and then printing it

is broader, applying to any engraved design not only line-based prints
steel engraving
vsgraving
6.4

A picture printed from a steel plate with a design cut into it

is more general and applies regardless of the plate material used

Compounds

graving dock
  • Specialized
8.4

A large dock that can be emptied of water so workers can fix the bottom of a ship

graving tool
  • Specialized
8.9

A thing used to cut designs into metal, wood, or stone

How Detailed

relief
  • Specialized
16 7.3
engraving
25 4.1
graving
  • Archaic
8.8
score
13 7.8
scratch
203 1.6

Surface Forms

graving singular
gravings plural

Morphology

graving = grave (transparent) = grave + ing

Formed regularly from the verb 'grave' with the gerund/result noun suffix '-ing', so the meaning (an engraved design or the finished work) follows directly from the base verb.

Etymology

Graving for an engraved design comes from the same root as engrave, a word that once meant 'to cut or dig into a surface'. So a graving is the little 'cut' or picture left on metal or wood — the finished carved design.