Lithography

A flat printing process on stone based on the antagonism between water and oil-based substances. The lithographic stone is a fine limestone which is polished and on which greasy strokes are drawn. When the stone is moistened, the water does not adhere to these strokes. The opposite effect occurs when an ink roller is passed over the stone. The ink is oil-based and adheres to the greasy strokes but not to the moistened parts of the stone. The sheet of paper pressed onto the stone will be printed with the ink placed on the strokes.
According to the dictionary of technical terms, Larousse.