An inlay is a decorative design made by setting one material into the surface of another. Imagine a wooden jewelry box with a flower pattern made from different colored pieces of wood fitted perfectly into its lid, flush with the surface. That's an inlay.

Craftspeople create inlays by cutting a shallow space in the base material (like wood, stone, or metal), then fitting pieces of contrasting material into that space. Ancient Egyptian furniture featured elaborate gold and ivory inlays. Japanese craftspeople became famous for inlaying mother-of-pearl (the shiny inside of seashells) into lacquered boxes. Guitar makers inlay decorative patterns around the sound hole and along the neck.

The technique requires patience and precision. Each piece must fit exactly, with no gaps or overlaps. When done well, an inlay feels smooth to the touch because everything sits at the same level, unlike an appliqué or decoration that's glued on top.

Dentists also use inlays to repair teeth, fitting custom-made pieces into cavities. In this case, the inlay restores the tooth's surface rather than decorates it, but the principle is the same: something fitted precisely into a prepared space.

The word captures both the technique and the finished decoration itself. You might admire the turquoise inlay on a silver bracelet or watch a woodworker carefully inlay strips of ebony into a maple table.