Definitions

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

  • noun The process of printing from a raised inked surface.
  • noun Something printed in this fashion.
  • noun Chiefly British The text, as of a book, distinct from illustrations or other ornamentation.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A press for copying letters by transfer; a copying-press.
  • noun Letters or words impressed on paper or other material from printing-types; printed text: so called when subordinate to or in contrast with illustrations.
  • Consisting of, relating to, or employed in printing from types: as, letterpress printing.

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

  • noun Print; letters and words impressed on paper or other material by types; -- often used of the reading matter in distinction from the illustrations.

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

  • noun The printing process in which ink is applied to the top surface of a raised image area, which is then pressed against paper to transfer the image.
  • noun printing  : printing directly from type, in distinction from printing from plates.
  • noun a machine used for such printing.

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

  • noun printing from a plate with raised characters

Etymologies

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Examples

  • And Blake's punctuation is continuous/analog, not discontinuous/digital as in letterpress.

    Introduction 2003

  • One of the clubs has lately deviated from the printing of letterpress, which is the established function of clubs, into pictorial art.

    The Book-Hunter A New Edition, with a Memoir of the Author John Hill Burton

  • If you'd rather stick to print, you can order fancy, but pricey $2.99 each, "letterpress" greeting cards in addition to iPhoto's usual menu of printed products.

    Sorting through the many options for photo and video editing Rob Pegoraro 2010

  • Even a category called letterpress with two images that don’t say much!

    World Famous Design Junkies » 2009 » February 2009

  • And like a lot of retro commercial arts, such as letterpress printing, there are some who claim that handpainted signs are even making a comeback.

    MAKE Magazine Gareth Branwyn 2010

  • When designers talk about web design trends, more often than not, they're referring to a visual design style such as letterpress or gradients but a trend doesn't have to be something you see.

    Boagworld recommends 2010

  • Most of the cards sold at Broadway, which range from $3.50 to $6, are made using alternative printing methods such as letterpress or are hand drawn.

    JSOnline.com JSOnline.com 2010

  • Most of the cards sold at Broadway, which range from $3.50 to $6, are made using alternative printing methods such as letterpress or are hand drawn.

    JSOnline.com JSOnline.com 2010

  • And like a lot of retro commercial arts, such as letterpress printing, there are some who claim that handpainted signs are even making a comeback.

    MAKE Magazine Gareth Branwyn 2010

  • ( "letterpress"), rich user interfaces, PNG transparency, big typography, carousels and media blocks.

    Smashing Magazine 2009

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