printing press

American  

noun

1. a machine, as a cylinder press or rotary press, for printing on paper or the like from type, plates, etc.

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printing press British  

noun

1. any of various machines used for printing

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Etymology

Origin of printing press

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

Then he turned for emphasis to the fonts available on the printing press of his day.

From Salon • Jan. 10, 2026

Much of the concern surrounding AI slop is overwrought, as low-quality mass-produced content has consistently accompanied technological innovation throughout history, from the printing press to Grub Street publications in the 1700s.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 5, 2025

The plasticity of digital information is superseding earlier modes of expression and expertise, as the printing press did the scribe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

Generative AI represents "the largest transformation in the information ecosystem since the printing press," consultant David Caswell told AFP.

From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025

It is not impossible to imagine priority disputes without the printing press, but in fact there are no priority disputes that we know of which predate printing.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton