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invisible ink

American  
[in-viz-uh-buhl ingk] / ɪnˈvɪz ə bəl ˈɪŋk /

noun

  1. a fluid for producing writing that is invisible until brought out by heat, chemicals, etc.


invisible ink British  

noun

  1. a liquid used for writing that does not become visible until it has been treated with chemicals, heat, ultraviolet light, etc

"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

Etymology

Origin of invisible ink

First recorded in 1675–85


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

In another, attributed to Aeneas the Tactician, a message hides dots of invisible ink over certain letters, which spell out the true message.

From Scientific American ● Jun. 15, 2023

They may take part in a group experiment with invisible ink, where each of them can reveal a message that the ink hides by solving puzzles.

From New York Times ● Apr. 27, 2023

Whether she's aware of the passages written in invisible ink in the margins and paragraph breaks is not for me to know or decode for my entertainment.

From Salon ● Feb. 26, 2023

The search also yielded an invisible ink kit, documents with coded language and maps showing military bases, Myers said.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 28, 2022

Whether the job was to jump on a stolen velocipede, win over a band of pirates, visibilize invisible ink, pen a sonnet, or don a disguise, Simon Harley-Dickinson was the man for it.

From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood

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