v.
- 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 dissolve the parts the needle has exposed.
- (of an acid or other solvent) corrode or dissolve the surface of.
- cut or carve (a text or design) on a surface.
▸mark with a carved text or design.
- cause to be clearly defined:
the outline of the town was etched against the sky.
Derivative
Etymology
C17: from Du. etsen, from Ger. ätzen; rel. to eat.