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lithograph

/ˌlɪθəˈgræf/
IPA guide

Other forms: lithographs; lithographed; lithographing

A lithograph is a print that's made using a stone or metal plate. Lithographs are etched into the plate using a chemical reaction.

To make a lithograph, an artist draws a design or on the stone plate with a waxy crayon or oil-based ink. After treating the plate with several layers of material, including rosin, talc, and an acidic solution, the lithographer applies ink with a roller. The oily ink only sticks to the waxy image, not the area around it; the resulting lithograph is a crisp reverse image on paper. The Greek roots of lithograph mean "stone" and "to draw."

Definitions of lithograph
  1. noun
    a print produced by lithography
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    types:
    photolithograph
    a lithograph produced by photographically produced plates
    type of:
    print
    a picture or design printed from an engraving
  2. noun
    duplicator that prints by lithography; a flat surface (of stone or metal) is treated to absorb or repel ink in the desired pattern
    synonyms: lithograph machine
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    type of:
    copier, duplicator
    apparatus that makes copies of typed, written or drawn material
  3. verb
    make by lithography
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    type of:
    print
    make into a print
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