Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • transitive verb To set (pieces of wood or ivory, for example) into a surface, usually at the same level, to form a design.
  • transitive verb To decorate by setting in such designs.
  • transitive verb To insert (a photograph, for example) within a mat in a book.
  • noun Contrasting material set into a surface in pieces to form a design.
  • noun A design, pattern, or decoration made by inlaying.
  • noun Dentistry A solid filling, as of gold or porcelain, fitted to a cavity in a tooth and cemented into place.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun That which is inserted or laid in something else, especially for the production of ornamental effect.
  • noun An ornamental design produced by inlaying one material in another, or by inserting several materials in combination, as in a mosaic.
  • To lay in, as a hiding-place; conceal.
  • To lay in; provide; store up.
  • To lay or insert in something; fix into or upon something, as for ornamentation.
  • To decorate with ornamental materials laid in a common groundwork; ornament with inserted work: as, to inlay a cabinet with ivory or ebony; an inlaid table.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • transitive verb To lay within; hence, to insert, as pieces of pearl, ivory, mother-of-pearl, choice woods, or the like, in a groundwork of some other material; to form an ornamental surface; to diversify or adorn with insertions.
  • noun Matter or pieces of wood, ivory, etc., inlaid, or prepared for inlaying; that which is inserted or inlaid for ornament or variety.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The material placed within a different material in the form of a decoration.
  • verb To place pieces of a foreign material within another material to form a decorative design.
  • verb dentistry To fill a tooth.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun (dentistry) a filling consisting of a solid substance (as gold or porcelain) fitted to a cavity in a tooth and cemented into place
  • verb decorate the surface of by inserting wood, stone, and metal
  • noun a decoration made by fitting pieces of wood into prepared slots in a surface

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

in- +‎ lay.

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Examples

  • The so-called Bosnian inlay is mainly of Albanian origin, and much of it actually Albanian handicraft.

    High Albania Mary Edith 1909

  • The inlay was a trifle scuffed from the axe's late use.

    A Crown of Swords Jordan, Robert, 1948- 1996

  • When grafting limbs of large trees at this time of the year, one of the techniques used is called inlay bark grafting.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • When grafting limbs of large trees at this time of the year, one of the techniques used is called inlay bark grafting.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • When grafting limbs of large trees at this time of the year, one of the techniques used is called inlay bark grafting.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • When grafting limbs of large trees at this time of the year, one of the techniques used is called inlay bark grafting.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • When grafting limbs of large trees at this time of the year, one of the techniques used is called inlay bark grafting.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • When grafting limbs of large trees at this time of the year, one of the techniques used is called inlay bark grafting.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • When grafting limbs of large trees at this time of the year, one of the techniques used is called inlay bark grafting.

    The Daily News - News 2010

  • When grafting limbs of large trees at this time of the year, one of the techniques used is called inlay bark grafting.

    The Daily News - News 2010

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