# lithography

> English word · Noun · IPA /lɪθˈɒɡɹəfi/ · frequency rank #41,229

## Definitions
1. The process of printing an image by drawing the image with a water-repellent material onto a hard, flat surface (typically metal), then copying the surface by applying water and ink (or the equivalent) to it and pressing another material against it.

## Etymology
From German Lithographie, from λίθος (líthos, “stone”) + γράφειν (gráphein, “to write”). Originally the printing surface was a flat piece of limestone that was treated with grease to form a surface that would selectively transfer ink to the paper; the stone has now been replaced, in general, with a metal plate. By surface analysis, litho- + -graphy.

## Easily confused with
- **lithograph** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lithograph-vs-lithography)

## Common misspellings (18)
`ilthography`, `lihtography`, `lithgoraphy`, `lithhography`, `lithogarphy`, `lithoggraphy`, `lithograhpy`, `lithographhy`, `lithographyy`, `lithograpphy`, `lithograpyh`, `lithogrpahy`, `lithogrraphy`, `lithorgaphy`, `litohgraphy`, `litthography`, `llithography`, `ltihography`

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