Glasscutting

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. The technique of cutting glass sheets or panes into desired shapes using specialized tools or equipment
2. The craft or practice of slicing and shaping glass materials by scoring, breaking, or grinding along predetermined lines
3. The work of severing glass into specific dimensions or forms using cutting implements or methods

Etymology: Glasscutting is about as transparent as compounds get: "glass" plus "cutting," the noun formed from the verb "cut." The word is simply the act or craft of cutting glass, and nothing in its making is hidden or surprising. Its parts are both ancient English words, with "glass" traced back to Old English "glæs" and "cut" a much later-attested verb whose origins lie in Middle English. The more interesting thread lies in the second element. "Cutting" as a noun for the process of removing material with a sharp edge sits comfortably beside older crafts like woodcutting and stonecutting, so glasscutting belongs to a family of trade names built the same way. Glass itself is the more ancient half, and the compound simply joins a very old material to a very old action.