A partial-depth groove used to join pieces is called a blind dado. It is cut into one piece but does not extend all the way through to the opposite face, so the end of the groove is hidden inside the wood. This lets a mating piece sit into the groove without exposing a cut on the far side, which is ideal for clean-looking joints in shelves or cabinet components. In contrast, a through dado goes completely through the thickness, leaving visible openings on both faces. A rabbet is a different feature—an edge notch or step cut along the edge of a board, not a groove across the face. And while a dado is the general term for a groove to receive another piece, the term blind specifies that the groove ends before reaching the far side.