The term is sometimes also used for engraved seals, which leave a raised design when pressed on to the material to be stamped, and is an Italian word that means the activity of carving (mainly) wood for decorative purposes (i.e., in furniture).
Contrast with relief print techniques.
Intaglio printing is frequently used in the production of currency as an anti counterfeiting measure. The United States sold the Shah of Iran the only intaglio press outside of the United States similar to the ones used by the Treasury department to print US notes. It has since fallen into the wrong hands (at least from the point of view of the treasury department) and has led to the necessity to redesign modern US notes.