What does "embossed" mean on a business card?

Embossing is a finishing technique that raises part of the card above its surface, giving it a three-dimensional, tactile quality. It is created with pressure, not ink, so the effect is something you feel as much as see.

• A metal die presses into the stock from behind, pushing chosen areas upward into relief.
• It is commonly used on logos, names, monograms, and borders to make them stand out.
• The raised areas can be left the paper color or combined with ink or foil for extra contrast.
• Paired with a gloss finish, embossing creates a card people notice with their fingertips as well as their eyes.

The opposite technique, debossing, presses the design down into the card instead of raising it, for a recessed look.