An etching is a picture made by scratching a design into a metal plate, covering it with ink, and then pressing paper against it to transfer the image. Artists create etchings by coating a copper or zinc plate with a waxy substance, then using a sharp needle to draw through the wax, exposing the metal underneath. When they dip the plate in acid, the acid etches (eats away) the exposed metal, creating grooves. After removing the wax, they spread ink across the plate, wipe the surface clean (leaving ink only in the grooves), and run it through a printing press with dampened paper. The pressure forces the paper into the grooves, picking up the ink and creating the final image.

The word etching can refer to both the process and the finished artwork. Famous artists like Rembrandt created many etchings, and because you can print multiple copies from one plate, etchings helped make art more accessible to ordinary people. Museums often display etchings alongside paintings and sculptures.

The verb form means to cut or carve into a surface using acid or a sharp tool. You might see glass etched with decorative patterns, or find words etched into a memorial stone. When something is etched in your memory, it means you remember it vividly and permanently, like an image carved into metal.