Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A method of dyeing a fabric by which the parts of the fabric not intended to be dyed are covered with removable wax.
  • noun A design that is created by this method.
  • noun Fabric dyed by this method.
  • transitive verb To dye (fabric) using this method.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A process employed by the natives of the Dutch East Indies in executing designs on a material, as a cotton fabric in one or more colors.
  • noun The fabric so decorated.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A dyed fabric with designs drawn on by applying a removable wax where the dye is not wanted.
  • noun The method used to create a batik{1}; using wax to allow drawing or printing of designs on a fabric.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A wax-resist method of dyeing fabric.
  • verb To dye fabric using the wax-resist method.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a dyed fabric; a removable wax is used where the dye is not wanted
  • verb dye with wax

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Malay batek, of Javanese origin, from Proto-Austronesian *beCík, tattoo (from the fact that the original process of piercing the waxed cloth prior to soaking was similar to tattooing).]

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Examples

  • "I hope that I can stick to designing batik because, as a designer, my job actually promotes * batik*," he said.

    The Jakarta Post Breaking News 2010

  • Since it requires days to produce due to the wax processes, and since errors made are uncorrectable and require that the cloth be washed and re-used, he considers his works in batik to be as or more important than his watercolors.

    Alfredo Zalce--Michoacán's living legend 2008

  • The butterfly batik is from Lisa Jo and the three coordinating prints are from Becca along with blocks from the ladies, which are below - Lisa Jo's on the left and Becca's on the right.

    May reveal katelnorth 2008

  • Since it requires days to produce due to the wax processes, and since errors made are uncorrectable and require that the cloth be washed and re-used, he considers his works in batik to be as or more important than his watercolors.

    Alfredo Zalce--Michoacán's living legend 2008

  • Since it requires days to produce due to the wax processes, and since errors made are uncorrectable and require that the cloth be washed and re-used, he considers his works in batik to be as or more important than his watercolors.

    Alfredo Zalce--Michoacán's living legend 2008

  • Since it requires days to produce due to the wax processes, and since errors made are uncorrectable and require that the cloth be washed and re-used, he considers his works in batik to be as or more important than his watercolors.

    Alfredo Zalce--Michoacán's living legend 2008

  • Here's a closeup - and here are the fabrics I ordered from eQuilter - the batik is due to be a border for my friend Caroline's sister's quilt (the diamond one) - luckily, it goes nicely, I think.

    Excellent postal day katelnorth 2008

  • Isadora's trademark textural collages, using oil paint and printed papers that recall batik, vividly convey the joys of diversity.

    Publishers Weekly - Children's Books News 2010

  • The painstaking process is called batik and includes the use of hot wax.

    Spokesman.com: Latest stories 2010

  • Besides hand-drawn batik, there is also block-printed batik, which is done by means of a metal block made by welding together strips of metal.

    The Jakarta Post Breaking News 2010

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