lithography

From German Lithographie, from λίθος (líthos, “stone”) +‎ γράφειν (gráphein, “to write”). Originally the printing surface was a flat piece of limestone that was treated with grease to form a surface that would selectively transfer ink to the paper; the stone has now been replaced, in general, with a metal plate. By surface analysis, litho- +‎ -graphy.

• IPA^(key): /lɪθˈɒɡɹəfi/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒɡɹəfi

lithography (countable and uncountable, plural lithographies)

1. The process of printing an image by drawing the image with a water-repellent material onto a hard, flat surface (typically metal), then copying the surface by applying water and ink (or the equivalent) to it and pressing another material against it. [from 1813]

   Hypernym: planography

   Hyponyms: offset printing, photolithography

• lithography on Wikipedia.Wikipedia