imprinting

American  

[im-prin-ting] / ɪmˈprɪn tɪŋ /

noun

Animal Behavior, Psychology.

1. rapid learning that occurs during a brief receptive period, typically soon after birth or hatching, and establishes a long-lasting behavioral response to a specific individual or object, as attachment to parent, offspring, or site.

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imprinting British  

/ ɪmˈprɪntɪŋ /

noun

1. the development through exceptionally fast learning in young animals of recognition of and attraction to members of their own species or to surrogates

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imprinting Scientific  

/ ĭm′prĭn′tĭng /

1. A rapid learning process by which a newborn or very young animal establishes a behavior pattern of recognition and attraction towards other animals of its own kind, as well as to specific individuals of its species, such as its parents, or to a substitute for these. Ducklings, for example, will imprint upon and follow the first large moving object they observe. In nature, this is usually their mother, but they can be made to imprint upon other moving objects, such as a soccer ball.

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Etymology

Origin of imprinting

1937; imprint + -ing ¹, translation of German Prägung, K. Lorenz's term

Example Sentences

The new study uncovered additional examples of genomic imprinting and several other forms of inheritance that do not fit Mendel's traditional framework.

From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2026

If there’s another cub in California, the agency may try to pair them up to keep them from imprinting on people, according to the release.

From Los Angeles Times • May 24, 2025

Howe immediately set about imprinting his methods at Newcastle.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2025

In the case of the flu vaccine, imprinting has negative effects.

From Science Daily • May 17, 2024

From looking at the star he was imprinting in his cast I looked quickly up at his face.

From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles