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wood engraving

wood engraving

1 5.2
A print or method of making prints by cutting a design into a wood block and pressing paper onto it
  • noun
  • /wʊd ɪnˈɡreɪvɪŋ/
translation icon : grabado en madera
  • In 1821, the first volume of the Christian Almanac, produced by the American Tract Society, featured a wood engraving of a missionary.

Examples

  • The museum features a section dedicated to wood engraving, showcasing intricate designs carved into wood blocks.

  • Many of the books and broadsides also contain wood engravings by Howard.

    Academic text (2013)
  • A wood engraving depicting Luke the Evangelist was regarded for a long time as the first example of engraving here in Russia.

    Academic text (2000)
  • A modest quarto edition, published simultaneously with the folio one, had no photographs and contained instead wood engravings done from the photographs.

    Academic text (2006)
  • The nineteenth century and the beginning of this century were thus marked by the cultivation of wood-engraving and etching as "pure" forms of art, independent of practical application.

    Academic text (2000)
  • She learned wood engraving as a way to create unique prints for her art collection.

  • Many historic books include wood engravings that illustrate scenes from daily life in the past.

Synonyms

print
vswood engraving
105 3.6

A picture made by pressing paper on a carved surface with ink

is a particular carved-block method producing its own images
engraving
vswood engraving
25 4.1

A picture made by cutting or etching a hard surface

is the specific carved-block print form rather than any hard-surface work
woodcut
vswood engraving
4 6.5

A picture printed from a carved block of wood or the carved block itself

is the carved-block printmaking technique and its finished prints
woodcutting
vswood engraving
  • Specialized
3.6

Carving designs into wood blocks to make prints

focuses on the same carving but names the printed product and technique

How Detailed

wood engraving
1 5.2
etching
14 6.3
engraving
25 4.1
woodcut
4 6.5
woodblock
1 4.0

Surface Forms

Morphology

wood + engraving

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'wood' (the material) + 'engraving' (a print/method of cutting patterns), i.e. an engraving made on wood or the technique of producing prints from carved wood. This noun-noun compound follows a regular English formation and parallels constructions in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words should be able to infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun wood engraving comes from the simple image of an artist carving a design into a block of wood and doing the act of engraving, then pressing paper onto it to make a 'print'. So wood engraving means a 'print' made by carving a block of wood or the method of making such prints.