phototype

P3H4O1T1O1T1Y4P3E1

noun

A metal printing block, used in the photogravure process

OriginEnglish type ← Ancient Greek φωτο- (phōto-) ← Proto-Hellenic *pʰáwos →
Scrabble 19
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounphototype (countable and uncountable, plural phototypes)

plural phototypes

  1. countableuncountableA metal printing block, used in the photogravure process
  2. countableuncountabletype that has been set using phototypesetting
  3. countableuncountableA measure of the susceptibility of the skin to tan, depending on the amount of melanin in the skin
verbphototype (third-person singular simple present phototypes, present participle phototyping, simple past and past participle phototyped)

present singular third person phototypes · participle present phototyping · participle past phototyped · past phototyped

  1. To phototypeset.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*bʰeh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéh₂os
  3. Proto-Hellenic*pʰáwos
  4. Ancient Greekφᾰ́ος (phắos)
  5. Ancient Greekφῶς (phôs)
  6. Ancient Greekφωτο- (phōto-)
  7. Englishphoto-
  8. Englishtype
  9. Englishphototype

From photo- + type.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

phototype. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phototype

MLA

“phototype.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phototype. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “phototype,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/phototype.

Source: phototype on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.