fingerprint

American  

[fing-ger-print] / ˈfɪŋ gərˌprɪnt /

noun

1. an impression of the markings of the inner surface of the last joint of the thumb or other finger.

2. such an impression made with ink for purposes of identification.

3. any unique or distinctive pattern that presents unambiguous evidence of a specific person, substance, disease, etc.

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verb (used with object)

1. to take or record the fingerprints of.

fingerprint British  

/ ˈfɪŋɡəˌprɪnt /

noun

1. an impression of the pattern of ridges on the palmar surface of the end joint of each finger and thumb

2. any identifying characteristic

3. biochem the pattern of fragments obtained when a protein is digested by a proteolytic enzyme, usually observed following two-dimensional separation by chromatography and electrophoresis

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verb

1. (tr) to take an inked impression of the fingerprints of (a person)

2. to take a sample of (a person's) DNA

fingerprint Cultural  

1. The impression or mark left by the underside of the tips of the fingers or thumbs. The impression is formed by a pattern of ridges on the skin surface. This pattern is unique for each individual and therefore can serve as a means of identification. (Compare DNA fingerprinting.)

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Discover More

Fingerprinting is used extensively in criminal investigation, but it is also used as a means of identification by many organizations.

Etymology

Origin of fingerprint

First recorded in 1855–60; finger + print

Explanation

The impression or mark that your finger makes on a surface is a fingerprint. And the one-of-a-kind pattern of raised whorls and lines on your fingertip? That's also a fingerprint. The earliest attempts to identify people using the prints their fingers made were in the 1820s, and by 1834 the word fingerprint came into use. To fingerprint someone is to press their finger into a pad of ink and then onto paper; after an arrest, the resulting fingerprints are put on file. The pattern on a person's fingertip is nearly unique, distinct, and won't change during their lifetime, making it a useful way to confirm someone's identity.

Example Sentences

Fingerprint and DNA tests failed to find any matches.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2025

A crime-scene tech, Stacy Cannady, located the original cards and ran the fingerprints through the nationwide Automated Fingerprint Identification System, a database that was implemented in 1999, more than 15 years after Reyos was convicted.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2023

The “3D Ultrasonic Large Fingerprint Sensor” technology actually comes from Qualcomm, which calls it “3D Sonic Max” and has touted its inclusion in a recent phone from Vivo’s gaming-focused sub-brand iQOO.

From The Verge • May 18, 2022

The chair of the Fingerprint Society wrote that any fingerprint examiner who could be swayed by images or stories “is so immature he/she should seek employment at Disneyland.”

From Science Magazine • May 12, 2022

Should the law enforcement agency desire additional comparisons it needs only advise the FBI Identification Division, attention Latent Fingerprint Section, and either name or submit the prints of the new suspect.

From The Science of Fingerprints Classification and Uses by Hoover, J. Edgar (John Edgar)