DNA fingerprinting

American  

noun

1. the use of a DNA probe for the identification of an individual, as for the matching of genes from a forensic sample with those of a criminal suspect.

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DNA fingerprinting Scientific  

1. The use of a sample of DNA to determine the identity of a person within a certain probability. DNA fingerprinting is done by analyzing repeating patterns of base pairs in DNA sequences that are known to vary greatly among individuals.

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DNA fingerprinting Cultural  

1. A technique by which the DNA of an individual can be compared with that found in a sample or another individual. It differs from DNA sequencing in that it compares only a few features of two strands of DNA.

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DNA fingerprinting is accepted as evidence in criminal trials, as well as in courts for establishing paternity and in identifying remains.

Other Word Forms

• DNA fingerprint noun

Etymology

Origin of DNA fingerprinting

First recorded in 1985–90

Example Sentences

Everything that followed, unlocking the human genome, learning to edit and move genetic information to cure disease and create new forms of life, the revolution in criminal justice with DNA fingerprinting, and many other things besides, grew out of the discovery of the double-helix shape of DNA.

From Los Angeles Times

SNPs are specific points in the genome where the DNA sequence typically varies between people; they are the basis of DNA fingerprinting, and certain SNPs can also determine susceptibility to some diseases.

From Science Magazine

They investigated and got a DNA sample from a discarded coffee cup and used the tried-and-true method of DNA fingerprinting.

From Los Angeles Times

The other three were listed as bodies 18, 23 and 28, and buried more than a decade before DNA fingerprinting was developed.

From Seattle Times

“We know it’s a dangerous lie,” said Dr. Glassberg, 74, a lifelong lover of butterflies who also developed the process of DNA fingerprinting.

From New York Times