lithography
(lɪˈθɒgrəfɪ)
[ad. mod.L. lithographia or F. (and Ger.) lithographie: see litho- and -graphy.]
† 1. A description of stones or rocks. Obs.
| 1708 Phil. Trans. XXVI. 161 Having some Years since Publish'd his Specimen Lithographiæ Helveticæ, and perhaps designing a Lithography, his Observations on Figur'd Fossils are not so numerous as we should other⁓wise have wish'd. |
† 2. The art of engraving on precious stones.
| 1730 Bailey (folio), Lithography, the Art of cutting or engraving in Stone; also a Description of Stones. |
3. The art or process of making a drawing, design, or writing on a special kind of stone (called ‘lithographic stone’), so that impressions in ink can be taken from it. Also, a planographic printing process using metal or plastic plates with a sensitized coating on which the matter to be printed is fixed chemically, before the non-printing areas of the plates are damped and the remainder printed with greasy inks on flat-bed or cylinder presses. Cf. driography, offset n. 10 b, photolithography.
Lithography was invented in 1796 by Alois Senefelder of Munich (1771–1833). The term (in Ger. form lithographie) was used c 1804–5 by Senefelder's associates at Munich.
| 1813 H. Bankes Lithography 8 Mr. P. H. André introduced the art under the title of Polyautography... I have taken the liberty, however, to change this for Lithography. 1819 tr. Senefelder (title) A Complete Course of Lithography. 1832 Babbage Econ. Manuf. xi. (ed. 3) 78 A few years ago one of the Paris newspapers was reprinted at Brussels as soon as it arrived by means of lithography. 1851 Ruskin Stones Ven. I. Pref. 10 Executed in tinted lithography. 1879 Print. Trades Jrnl. xxvi. 17 The process of lithography consists essentially in the application of a greasy ink on to a damp stone. 1906 Brit. Printer Dec. 296/2 The tendency of the day is undoubtedly towards..the utilization of lithography by typographers doing certain classes of work. 1932 Jrnl. Soc. Chem. Industry 9 Sept. T313/1 Lithography is based essentially on the adsorption of fatty acids by the metal. 1946 A. Kirk in H. Whetton Pract. Printing & Binding xvi. 190/1 Although the printing of daily newspapers is outside the present scope of lithography, the uninterrupted weekly production of The Australian, Melbourne, since 1929 may be instanced as but one outstanding achievement..in this direction. 1973 Brit. Printer July 68/3 The radically reduced cost of photosetting machines in recent years, their improved capability, and the continuing growth in the use of lithography have all been instrumental in increasing the demand for photosetting and allied equipment. |