etch

verb

• 1engrave (metal, glass, or stone) by coating it with a protective layer, drawing on it with a needle, and then covering it with acid to attack the parts the needle has exposed, especially in order to produce prints from it: (as adjective etched)etched glass windows
• use the etching process to produce (a print or design).
• (of an acid or other solvent) corrode or eat away the surface of (something).
• selectively dissolve the surface of (a semiconductor or printed circuit) with a solvent, laser, or stream of electrons.

• 2cut or carve (a text or design) on a surface:her initials were etched on the table figurativehis name is etched in baseball history
• mark (a surface) with a carved text or design:a Pictish stone etched with mysterious designs figurativeher face was etched with tiredness
• cause to stand out or be clearly defined or visible:Jo watched the outline of the town etched against the sky (as adjective etched)her finely etched profile
• (be etched) (of an experience, image, etc.) be permanently fixed in someone’s memory:the events remain etched in the minds of all who witnessed them

noun

• the action or process of etching something.