# etch vs etched

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### etch
*verb · IPA /ɛt͡ʃ/ · frequency rank #37,917*
To cut into a surface with an acid or other corrosive substance in order to make a pattern. Best known as a technique for creating printing plates, but also used for decoration on metal, and, in modern industry, to make circuit boards.

### etched
*adjective · frequency rank #20,627*
Cut or dug into the surface as by etching.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/etch-vs-etched