- etch (v.)
- 1630s, "to engrave by eating away the surface of with acids," from Dutch etsen, from German ätzen "to etch," from Old High German azzon "give to eat; cause to bite, feed," from Proto-Germanic *atjanan, causative of *etanan "eat" (see eat). Related: Etched; etching. The Etch A Sketch drawing toy was introduced 1960 by Ohio Art Company.
