Copperplates

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of printing plate made from copper used for engraving and intaglio techniques
2. Thin sheets of copper utilized in the production of detailed illustrations or text in printmaking
3. Plates crafted from copper that serve as surfaces for etching designs to create prints in various artistic forms

Etymology: "Copper" comes from the Latin "aes Cyprium," meaning "metal of Cyprus," the island that supplied much of the ancient Mediterranean's copper. Latin shortened this to "cuprum," which reached Old English as "coper." "Plate" arrived through Old French, where it meant a flat piece of metal, and it traces back to a Greek root meaning broad or flat. Copper's firmness let engravers cut fine, durable lines into a smooth sheet. They inked the incised lines and pressed paper against the sheet to print the image, which made the method useful for maps, banknotes and book illustrations. The plural simply refers to several such sheets.

Synonyms: engraved plates