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em·boss

(ĕm-bôs, -bŏs)

tr.v. em·bossed, em·boss·ing, em·boss·es

1. To mold or carve in relief: emboss a design on a coin.

2. To decorate with or as if with a raised design: emboss leather.

3. To adorn; decorate.

4. To cover with many protuberances; stud: “The whole buoy was embossed with barnacles” (Herman Melville).

[Middle English embosen, from Old French embocer : en-, in; see EN-¹ + boce, hump, bump, knob; see BOSS².]

em·bosser n.

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emboss

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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