rotogravure

1 9.9

A way of printing that uses a metal cylinder to make clear, colorful pictures for magazines

noun
/ˌroʊtəˈɡrævjʊr/

Specialized

: rotograbado

The magazine's colorful pages were printed using rotogravure, resulting in high-quality images that captivated readers.

Examples

Considered in the realm of song lyrics, it is masterly—as in this couplet: "And you'll find that you're / In the rotogravure."

Academic text (2009)
Physioc based her drawings on a New York Times Magazine article featuring photos from the Atlanta Constitution rotogravure.

Academic text (2013)
"Santo Domingo State Park" (rotogravure) Atlanta Journal, April 10, 1938.

Academic text (2013)
State Department of Natural Resources (in cooperation with the State Department of Education), Natural Resources of Georgia (Atlanta, 1937), 21.67 "Santo Domingo State Park," Atlanta Journal rotogravure, April 10, 1938.

Academic text (2013)
His Brooklyn memories, like old rotogravures, blazed up for a moment: his grandfather's pushcart, the smell of freshly ground coffee in the small three-room apartment, the hard slick feeling of the sofa stuffed with horsehair.

Fiction book (2002)
In the past, rotogravure was a popular method for producing vibrant illustrations in newspapers and periodicals.
Many artists began their careers in the print industry, often working with rotogravure to create stunning visual content.

Synonyms

gravure

vsrotogravure

Specialized

1 9.9

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

uses engraved cylinders specifically instead of flat plates for printing

photogravure

vsrotogravure

Archaic

1 9.9

A printing method that uses a photo on a metal plate to make very detailed prints

uses engraved cylinders rather than photographic metal plates for reproduction

collotype

vsrotogravure

Archaic

1 9.9

A high-quality photo print made from a glass plate coated with gelatin

uses engraved cylinders not gelatin-coated glass plates for printing

heliogravure

vsrotogravure

Specialized

1 9.9

An art print made by copying a photograph onto a metal plate and printing it

prints from engraved cylinders not from flat metal plates with photos

photolithograph

vsrotogravure

Specialized

9.9

A print that uses a photograph to prepare a plate for printing

uses engraved cylinders instead of lithography plates made by photos

photogelatin process

vsrotogravure

Archaic

9.9

A way to print pictures using a glass plate covered with gelatin to transfer the image

prints using engraved cylinders rather than gelatin glass plate transfers

heliotype

vsrotogravure

Archaic

9.9

A way of making photo prints with a gelatin plate or a print made the same way

relies on engraved cylinders rather than gelatin plate photographic methods

Surface Forms

rotogravure singular

rotogravures plural

Morphology

rotogravure = gravure (opaque) = roto + gravure

Both elements are technical combining forms from another language and are unlikely to be known to an average B1 learner, so the compound's meaning cannot be derived without specialized knowledge.

Etymology

Rotogravure comes from two parts: roto- meaning 'wheel' or 'turning', like in 'rotate', and gravure meaning 'engraving', like 'engrave'. So it literally means 'rotating engraving', which helps you remember it is a printing method that uses rotating engraved cylinders to make the rich pictures in magazines.