imprimatur

[ im-pri-mah-ter, -mey-, -prahy- ]

/ ˌɪm prɪˈmɑ tər, -ˈmeɪ-, -praɪ- /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR imprimatur ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an official license to print or publish a book, pamphlet, etc., especially a license issued by a censor of the Roman Catholic Church.Compare nihil obstat.

sanction or approval; support: Our plan has the company president's imprimatur.

RELATED WORDS

charter, permission, permit, sanction

Nearby words

Origin of imprimatur

1630–40; < New Latin: let it be printed, Latin: let it be made by pressing upon (something); see impress¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for imprimatur

What makes CEOs think that putting their imprimatur on a political movement will increase public pressure on the two parties?
Starbucks’ Effort to Solve the Fiscal Cliff Probably Won’t Work|Daniel Gross|December 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
From a Wall Street perspective, Buffett got privileged, and not level-playing-field, access as a payoff for his imprimatur.
Obama Extols Warren Buffett as Hero, But to Wall Street He’s No Angel|Zachary Karabell|January 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
They are the silent traytors that affront majesty, and abuse all authority, under the colour of an Imprimatur.
Microcosmography|John Earle
He took a small case from his pocket, and presented a card to him, and also papers which revealed the imprimatur of the company.
The Man Who Rose Again|Joseph Hocking

His book came into the public hands stamped with the imprimatur of official recognition.
Charles Darwin|Grant Allen
For the present, buy—buy whatever has received the imprimatur of critical authority.
Literary Taste: How to Form It|Arnold Bennett
The Vice-Chancellor's imprimatur (for it was printed at Oxford) is dated the 19th, 1713.
Lives of the Poets: Gay, Thomson, Young, and Others|Samuel Johnson

British Dictionary definitions for imprimatur

imprimatur

/ (ˌɪmprɪˈmeɪtə, -ˈmɑː-) /

noun

RC Church a licence granted by a bishop certifying the Church's approval of a book to be published

sanction, authority, or approval, esp for something to be printed

Word Origin for imprimatur

C17: New Latin, literally: let it be printed

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for imprimatur

imprimatur

1640, Modern Latin, literally "let it be printed," the formula of a book licenser, third person singular present subjunctive passive of Latin imprimere "to print" (see impress). Originally of state license to print books, later only of Roman Catholic Church.