Hectographing

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. The technique of producing duplicates from a master document using ink and a suitable matrix involves transferring images or text onto paper or other surfaces
2. A method centered on duplicating original documents through specific inks onto designated substrates allows for the reproduction of various materials
3. The process of making copies of a document by transferring ink from a prepared surface to paper or other materials

Etymology: "Hectographing" is the present participle and gerund of "hectograph", a term built from the Greek prefix hecto-, meaning "hundred", and the suffix -graph, meaning "writing" or "drawing". The name reflects the method's claimed yield: a single prepared master could produce roughly a hundred copies, which made the process attractive for printing circulars, notices and schoolwork before cheap photocopying existed. The process itself worked by transferring ink from a gelatin-based surface. The original writing was done with special inks or carbon-based pencils onto a sheet, which was then pressed against a pad of gelatin. The ink soaked into the gelatin, and fresh sheets pressed against that surface picked up the image, one impression at a time, until the ink ran out or the pad faded.

Synonyms: duplicating, copying, hectograph process