inlay C1 Topic:Art & Music verb /ɪnˈleɪ/ · noun /ˈɪn.leɪ/ See IPA manual Freq #59118 Meanings 1 verb to decorate a surface by setting pieces of another material into it Craftworkers inlay the dark wood with thin strips of brass. 2 noun decoration made by setting pieces of wood, metal, stone, or another material into a surface The cabinet's ivory inlay formed a pattern of leaves and flowers. 3 noun a solid filling shaped outside the mouth and fitted into a prepared cavity in a tooth The dentist recommended a ceramic inlay instead of a large filling. Thesaurus Synonyms 1 verb · to decorate a surface by... insertsetembed 2 noun · decoration made by setting... insetmarquetry 3 noun · a solid filling shaped... dental restoration ↔ Opposites removeextract Word family Forms inlaid Derived forms inlaidinlayer Related forms marquetryintarsiaveneer Etymology Formed in English from in + lay. The verb describes laying one material within another; the noun developed for the inserted decoration and later for a fitted dental restoration. Topics Art & Music External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # inlay **Type:** Word **Level:** C1 **Part of speech:** verb, noun **IPA (US):** /ɪnˈleɪ/ **IPA (UK):** /ɪnˈleɪ/ **Frequency rank:** 59118 ## Meanings 1. to decorate a surface by setting pieces of another material into it 2. decoration made by setting pieces of wood, metal, stone, or another material into a surface 3. a solid filling shaped outside the mouth and fitted into a prepared cavity in a tooth ## Examples - Craftworkers inlay the dark wood with thin strips of brass. - The cabinet's ivory inlay formed a pattern of leaves and flowers. - The dentist recommended a ceramic inlay instead of a large filling. ## Synonyms - insert - embed - inset - marquetry ## Antonyms - remove - extract ## Derived Forms - inlaid - inlayer ## Related Forms - marquetry - intarsia - veneer ## Etymology Formed in English from in + lay. The verb describes laying one material within another; the noun developed for the inserted decoration and later for a fitted dental restoration. ## Topics - Art & Music markdown