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

Every humpback has a pattern on the underside of their tail -- or fluke -- that is unique "like a human fingerprint", Castro said.

From Barron's • May 20, 2026

Scientists use deuterium levels as a kind of chemical fingerprint that reveals the conditions present when celestial objects formed.

From Science Daily • May 8, 2026

The travel agent warned that entry "will take longer" under the new EU system, as passengers have their fingerprint and facial data taken while answering a series of questions.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

“But you’re stuck with your facial geometry and your fingerprint for life unless you take drastic measures like burning your fingerprints off,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Yet in much of the country these forensic methods were applied even less consistently than fingerprint and ballistic techniques.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann