engrave

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ɪnˈɡreɪv/ UK /ɪnˈɡreɪv/ See IPA manual

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to cut or carve a design or text into a hard surface

They chose to engrave the couple's initials inside the ring.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to cut or carve a design or... carve etch incise inscribe chisel imprint

Opposites

efface erase

Word family

Forms engraven

Derived forms engraverengravingengravedengravement

Related forms grave graven

Etymology

From en- ('in') + grave ('to carve, dig', from Old English grafan 'to dig, engrave'), influenced by Old French engraver.

grafan Old English *grabaną Proto-Germanic

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

# engrave

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** ɪnˈɡreɪv
**IPA (UK):** ɪnˈɡreɪv

## Meanings
1. to cut or carve a design or text into a hard surface

## Examples
- They chose to engrave the couple's initials inside the ring.

## Synonyms
- carve
- etch
- incise
- inscribe
- chisel
- imprint

## Antonyms
- efface
- erase

## Derived Forms
- engraver
- engraving
- engraved
- engravement

## Related Forms
- grave
- graven

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: grafan
- Root: *grabaną

## Etymology
From en- ('in') + grave ('to carve, dig', from Old English grafan 'to dig, engrave'), influenced by Old French engraver.

## AI Etymology
Engrave is from en- ('in') + grave ('to carve, dig', from Old English grafan 'to dig, engrave'), influenced by Old French engraver. Important recorded forms include grafan (Old English) and *grabaną (Proto-Germanic). Morphologically, the word is a built form whose named elements carry part of the historical sense. The current sense covers to cut or carve a design or text into a hard surface. The wider family includes derived forms such as engraver, engraving, engraved, and engravement and related words such as grave and graven.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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