fine print

American  

[fahyn] / faɪn /

noun

1. printed matter in small-sized type.

2. the detailed wording of a contract, lease, insurance policy, or the like, often set in type smaller than the main body of the document and including general restrictions or qualifications that could be considered disadvantageous.

   Make sure you read the fine print before signing.

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fine print British  

noun

1. Also called: small print.  matter set in small type, as in a contract, esp considered as containing unfavourable conditions that the signer might overlook

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Other Word Forms

• fine-print adjective

Etymology

Origin of fine print

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

“Finance charge ranging from $30 to $40 applies, and the amount is dependent on the date that rent is submitted for the month it is due,” the company’s website says in the fine print.

From MarketWatch

We need a market where dealers are rewarded for fairness, and where American families can buy a car without worrying about traps in the fine print.

From MarketWatch

Lily doesn’t understand the rules, and I’m too lazy to read the fine print, so we take turns pressing the frog’s belly.

From Literature

Still, even though the fine print is awaited, the deal announced Monday is an important signal that the India-U.

From The Wall Street Journal

I study the fine print of each airline’s policies about purchasing another seat “for comfort.”

From Los Angeles Times