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)

fingerprints, present (3rd person singular) fingerprinted, past participle, past fingerprinting present participle

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.

Other Word Forms

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have fingerprinted
  perfect
• has fingerprinted
  perfect 3rd person singular
• has been fingerprinting
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• have been fingerprinting
  perfect progressive
• are fingerprinting
  progressive
• is fingerprinting
  progressive 3rd person singular
• am fingerprinting
  progressive 1st person singular
• fingerprints
  singular 3rd person
• fingerprinting
  participle

Past

• had fingerprinted
  perfect
• was fingerprinting
  progressive singular
• were fingerprinting
  progressive plural
• had been fingerprinting
  perfect progressive
• fingerprinted
  participle
• fingerprinted
  simple

Future

• will fingerprint
  simple
• will have fingerprinted
  perfect
• will be fingerprinting
  progressive
• will have been fingerprinting
  perfect progressive

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

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured the first mid-infrared chemical fingerprint of an interstellar object, providing new insights into the composition of comet 3I/ATLAS as it traveled away from the Sun.

From Science Daily • Jun. 4, 2026

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

The proposed sexual assault measure would require ride-share companies to let riders know if the person picking them up has a history of sexual misconduct and conduct yearly fingerprint and background checks for drivers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 23, 2026

"It has its own fingerprint as a snooker venue," says six-time world champion Steve Davis.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

The only way to match a fingerprint was to get lucky—and since there were almost a million entries in Bertillon’s files, a detective would have to get really lucky.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day