Gravée

Gravée is the feminine singular past participle of the French verb graver, meaning to engrave, carve, or etch. Used as an adjective, it describes an object that bears an engraving or has been carved: a plaque gravée, an inscription gravée sur une médaille, or text gravée in stone. The masculine form is gravé, and the plural forms are gravés (masc) or gravées (fem).

Gravure refers to the process or art of engraving, as well as to the resulting work. The term encompasses several techniques, including gravure en creux (intaglio, where lines are incised into a surface and inked) and gravure en relief (relief printing, such as woodcut or linocut, where raised areas are inked). In metalwork and jewelry, a piece described as gravée has designs cut into the metal.

In archaeology, epigraphy, and history, gravée commonly describes inscriptions carved into stone or metal. In printing and graphic arts, gravure denotes the broader family of printmaking techniques that rely on engraved lines to hold ink and reproduce images.

Gravée agrees in gender with the nouns it characterizes: gravée for feminine nouns (e.g., plaque gravée), gravé for masculine nouns (e.g., plaque gravé). The term can also appear in metaphorical expressions, such as gravée dans le marbre, meaning something firmly or permanently established.

Examples include une médaille gravée, une inscription gravée sur la pierre tombale, and une gravure sur métal.