: an engraving made with a steel or jeweled point directly into the metal plate without the use of acid as in etching
also : a print made from such an engraving

Examples of drypoint in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The second is The Map (1890), a black-and-gray drypoint print in which two girls examine a map. Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 27 June 2024 John Barrett The clearest recording of the drypoint inscription to date. Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of drypoint was in 1871

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Cite this Entry

“Drypoint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drypoint. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

: a picture made by engraving a metal plate with a tool and not using acid

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