imprimatur
[ im-pri-mah-ter, -mey-, -prahy- ]
/ ˌɪm prɪˈmɑ tər, -ˈmeɪ-, -praɪ- /
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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.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON PARENTHESES AND BRACKETS APLENTY!
Set some time apart to test your bracket symbol knowledge, and see if you can keep your parentheses, squares, curlies, and angles all straight!
Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of imprimatur
First recorded in 1630–40; from New Latin: literally, “let it be printed,” Latin: literally, “let it be made by pressing upon (something)”; see impress1
Words nearby imprimatur
impressive aphasia, impressment, impressure, imprest, imprest fund, imprimatur, imprimis, imprint, imprinter, imprinting, imprison
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for imprimatur
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
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