tintype
|tin-type|
🇺🇸
/ˈtɪnˌtaɪp/
🇬🇧
/ˈtɪn.taɪp/
photograph on metal plate
Etymology
'tintype' originates from English, combining 'tin' (the metal) and 'type' (as in a kind or form), referring to the photographic process using a thin metal plate.
'tintype' was coined in the mid-19th century in the United States to describe this specific photographic process, and the term has remained unchanged in modern English.
Initially, it referred specifically to the photographic process and the resulting image on a metal plate, and this meaning has remained consistent.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a photograph made by creating a direct positive on a thin sheet of metal coated with a dark lacquer or enamel, used especially in the 19th century.
The museum displayed several tintypes from the Civil War era.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/07/30 20:20