Incuse
/ˈɪn.kjuːs/noun
To impress or stamp a design into a surface so it is sunken rather than raised.
Did you know?Incuse comes from a Latin verb meaning “to strike into,” and in ancient coinage an incuse image was literally punched into metal, making the word feel like a tiny ritual of power and pressure.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
incūsāre
“to strike into, stamp, or impress”
Late Latin
Latin
incūsus
“driven in, stamped in, or sunk into a surface”
Middle English
English
incusen
“to impress or stamp in relief or intaglio”
Modern English
English
incuse
“to sink a design into a surface or a sunken design itself”