lithography

noun

li·​thog·​ra·​phy li-ˈthä-grə-fē 

1

: the process of printing from a plane surface (such as a smooth stone or metal plate) on which the image to be printed is ink-receptive and the blank area ink-repellent

2

: the process of producing patterns on semiconductor crystals for use as integrated circuits

Examples of lithography in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Using roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography (NIL), the team has developed decorative films that allow photovoltaic (PV) modules to seamlessly blend into building facades without sacrificing efficiency. —Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2025

European companies—including the Dutch semiconductor lithography giant ASML, the German enterprise software firm SAP, and the Swedish 5G provider Ericsson—occupy key chokepoints in technology stacks. —Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 19 Aug. 2025

That efficiency is increasingly unlocked by materials engineering, not by chasing ever-smaller geometries with lithography alone. —Sundeep Bajikar, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2025

The company is the world’s sole supplier of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines, the critical technology that enables the production of the most advanced chips used in everything from AI accelerators to smartphones and data centers. —Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 16 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

litho- + -graphy, after French lithographie or German Lithographie (now Lithografie)

First Known Use

1813, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for lithography

• arthrography
• biography
• cartography
• cosmography
• cryptography
• demography
• discography
• echography
• ethnography
• filmography
• geography
• hydrography

Kids Definition

lithography

noun

li·​thog·​ra·​phy lith-ˈäg-rə-fē 

: a method of printing from a flat surface (as a smooth stone or metal plate) that has been prepared in such a way that only the areas meant to print will take ink