• (a.) Pertaining to, or designating, any photographic process in which a printing surface is obtained without the intervention of hand engraving.
Pho`to·me·chan'ic·al adjective Pertaining to, or designating, any photographic process in which a printing surface is obtained without the intervention of hand engraving. 
[adj] - of or relating to or involving various methods of using photography the make plates for printing
adjective of or relating to or involving various methods of using photography to make plates for printing
The platemaking process where plates are coated with photosensitive coatings and exposed to photo negatives or positives.