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Synonyms

printer

American  
[prin-ter] / ˈprɪn tər /

noun

  1. a person or thing that prints, especially a person whose occupation is printing. printing.

  2. Computers. an output device that produces a paper copy of alphanumeric or graphic data.

  3. an instrument that automatically records telegraphic messages by means of a printing printing mechanism activated by incoming signals.

  4. Movies. a photographic machine through which either the negative or positive of a master print can be run, together with unexposed film, to make a duplicate.

printer British  
/ ˈprɪntə /

noun

  1. a person or business engaged in printing

  2. a machine or device that prints

  3. computing an output device for printing results on paper

"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

Other Word Forms

  • printerlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of printer

First recorded in 1495–1505; print + -er 1

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.

More likely they were mistakes from the manuscript Dunlap was working from that the printer later corrected.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

"He is very engineering minded," Daily explains, "so, we recently invested a few hundred dollars to get him a 3D printer."

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

He shows up with his computer and printer, takes care of all the stats, and most of all, they’re pretty accurate.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

Personal-system unit sales rose 12%, while sales of printer units fell 6%.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

The tractor feed spooled the page out of the top of the printer.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.