Meanings
plural lithographies
- countableuncountableThe process of printing an image by drawing the image with a water-repellent material onto a hard, flat surface (typically metal), then copying the surface by applying water and ink (or the equivalent) to it and pressing another material against it.First known use 1813
Origin
- GermanLithographie
- Englishlithography
From German Lithographie, from λίθος (líthos, “stone”) + γράφειν (gráphein, “to write”). Originally the printing surface was a flat piece of limestone that was treated with grease to form a surface that would selectively transfer ink to the paper; the stone has now been replaced, in general, with a metal plate. By surface analysis, litho- + -graphy.
More words from German
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic الطباعة الحجرية
- الطباعة الحجريةprinting method
Bulgarian литография
- литография (litografija)printing method
Catalan litografia
- litografiaprinting method
Chinese Mandarin 平版印刷
- 平版印刷 (píngbǎn yìnshuā)printing method
Czech litografie, kamenotisk
- litografieprinting method
- kamenotiskprinting method
Danish litografi
- litografiprinting method
Dutch lithografie
- lithografieprinting method
Esperanto litografio
- litografioprinting method
Estonian litograafia
- litograafiaprinting method
Finnish litografia, kivipaino
- litografiaprinting method
- kivipainoprinting method
French lithographie
- lithographieprinting method
German Lithografie, Lithographie
- Lithografieprinting method
- Lithographieprinting method
Greek λιθογραφία
- λιθογραφία (lithografía)printing method
Hebrew הדפס אבן
- הדפס אבן (hidpís éven)printing method
Hungarian litográfia
- litográfiaprinting method
Icelandic steinþrykk
- steinþrykkprinting method
Indonesian litografi, cetak datar
- litografiprinting method
- cetak datarprinting method
- cetak batuprinting method
- cetak ofsetprinting method
Irish liteagrafaíocht
- liteagrafaíochtprinting method
Italian litografia
- litografiaprinting method
Japanese リトグラフ
- リトグラフ (ritogurafu)printing method
Korean 석판 인쇄
- 석판 인쇄 (seokpan inswae)printing method
Latvian litogrāfija
- litogrāfijaprinting method
Lithuanian litografija
- litografijaprinting method
Malay litografi
- litografiprinting method
Norwegian Bokmål litografi
- litografiprinting method
Persian چاپ سنگی
- چاپ سنگی (čâp-e sangi)printing method
Polish litografia
- litografiaprinting method
Portuguese litografia
- litografiaprinting method
Romanian litografie
- litografieprinting method
Russian литогра́фия
- литогра́фия (litográfija)printing method
Scottish Gaelic leac-sgrìobhadh
- leac-sgrìobhadhprinting method
Slovak litografia
- litografiaprinting method
Spanish litografía
- litografíaprinting method
Swedish litografi
- litografiprinting method
Thai ภาพพิมพ์หิน
- ภาพพิมพ์หิน (pâap-pá-pim-hĭn)printing method
Turkish taş baskı, litografi
- taş baskıprinting method
- litografiprinting method
- litografyaprinting method
Ukrainian літографія
- літографія (litohrafija)printing method
Vietnamese in thạch bản, in li-tô
- in thạch bảnprinting method
- in li-tôprinting method
- in đáprinting method
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with lithography
Cite this entry
lithography. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lithography
“lithography.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lithography. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lithography,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lithography.
Source: lithography on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.