printing

American  

[prin-ting] / ˈprɪn tɪŋ /

noun

1. the art, process, or business of producing books, newspapers, etc., by impression from movable types, plates, etc.

2. the act of a person or thing that prints.

3. words, symbols, etc., in printed form.

4. printed material.

5. the total number of copies of a book or other publication printed at one time.

   The book had a first printing of 10,000.

6. writing in which the letters resemble printed ones.

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printing British  

/ ˈprɪntɪŋ /

noun

1. 1. the process, business, or art of producing printed matter

   2. ( as modifier )

      printing ink

2. printed text

3. Also called: impression.  all the copies of a book or other publication printed at one time

4. a form of writing in which letters resemble printed letters

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Other Word Forms

• nonprinting adjective

Etymology

Origin of printing

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at print, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

As a result, they removed it after printing.

From Science Daily • Apr. 18, 2026

"I've got half an hour - that may be doing some last-minute printing or checking emails to see if there are any changes to the day," she says.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

That, however, was offset some by wholesale food inputs printing an outright decline of 0.3% on the month.

From Barron's • Apr. 14, 2026

In a season of Hollywood marked by mega-mergers from well-funded nepo children, there is something timely about these oblivious creatures smashing up a printing press and a broadcast studio.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 12, 2026

The printing press not only transformed the dissemination of knowledge but also, by making exact visual information widely available, brought about a revision in the traditional conception of what knowledge is.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• copy
• distribution
• issuance