gravure n 1: a printing process that uses an etched or engraved plate; the plate is smeared with ink and wiped clean, then the ink left in the recesses makes the print [syn: {intaglio printing}, {intaglio}] 2: a printing plate used in the process of gravure 3: an intaglio print produced by gravure [syn: {photogravure}, {heliogravure}] 4: intaglio printing