'lithographic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'lithos' meaning 'stone' and 'graphein' meaning 'to write'.

'lithos' and 'graphein' combined to form the German word 'Lithographie', which eventually became the modern English word 'lithography'.

Initially, it referred to the process of writing on stone, but over time it evolved into its current meaning of a printing process using a flat surface.