silk-screen
UK[ˈsɪlk skriːn]US[ˈsɪlk skriːn]
n
A method of printing using a fine mesh screen through which ink is forced onto a surface, such as fabric or paper.
v
To print something using the silk-screen method.
Morpheme Breakdown
silk
screen
silk
material
screen
mesh
Etymology
The term 'silk-screen' is a transparent compound describing the printing technique's original materials. The first element, 'silk', traces back to ancient trade routes, its name derived from the Greek term for the people of East Asia who produced it. The second element, 'screen', entered English from Old French, carrying the sense of a protective partition or sieve. Combined, the term literally means a screen made of silk, which was the fine, durable fabric initially used for the printing mesh. Over time, the name persisted even as synthetic materials replaced silk, and the term evolved to denote the entire printing process itself, shifting from a description of a tool to the name of the technique.
Analysis
Structure: silk (material) + screen (mesh)
- silk: From Old English 'seolc', 'sioloc', ultimately from Latin 'sericum' (silk, silken garment), from Greek 'Sērikón' (silken, pertaining to the Seres, the people from whom silk was obtained). In this compound, it denotes the fine mesh material originally used.
- screen: From Middle English 'scren', from Old North French 'escren', likely of Germanic origin. In this compound, it refers to the mesh frame or stencil used in the printing process.
Examples
She learned how to make custom t-shirts using the silk-screen method.
The artist decided to silk-screen her design onto a series of posters.
The vibrant colors of the silk-screen print were remarkably durable.