Word of the Day
7 February 2026
letterpress
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.
Why this one
The oldest of the commercial processes, and the one that leaves a fingerprint: type pressed into damp stock puts a slight bite in the sheet, which is why the look was revived for stationery long after newspapers moved on.
In use
We keep the old letterpress running for wedding invites, people pay for that dent you can feel with your thumb.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.