Meaning & use
offset lithography
Last updated
Meaning
noununcountabletechnical
a printing method in which ink is transferred from a plate to a rubber roller and then onto paper
Grammar: Uncountable: say 'offset lithography is', not 'are'. No plural form.
Patterns
- printed by offset lithography
- offset lithography printing
The brochure was printed by offset lithography.
Offset lithography is still the most common method for high-volume printing.
They use offset lithography for magazines and catalogs.
Common combinations
- printed by offset lithography
- The posters were printed by offset lithography.
- offset lithography printing
- Offset lithography printing gives sharp images on smooth paper.
- high-volume offset lithography
- High-volume offset lithography keeps the cost per copy low.
Synonyms and how they differ
- offset printing
- A shorter, more everyday term for the same process.
- lithography
- A broader term that includes printing directly from a flat stone or plate, not necessarily using the offset roller.
Word family
- offset noun
- In printing, the transfer of ink from plate to roller to paper.
- lithographic adjective
- Relating to lithography.
Commonly confused: offset lithography or digital printing?
offset lithography vs digital printing
Digital printing prints directly from a computer file; offset lithography uses plates and is cheaper for large runs.
Practice
What is offset lithography?
Choose one answer.
Offset lithography is defined by the transfer of ink via a rubber roller. The other options describe photography, paper, or cutting, which are not printing methods.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “offset lithography”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.