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thumbprint

American  
[thuhm-print] / ˈθʌmˌprɪnt /

noun

  1. a mark or impression of the ventral surface of the last joint of the thumb.


thumbprint British  
/ ˈθʌmˌprɪnt /

noun

  1. an impression of the upper part of the thumb, used esp for identification purposes See fingerprint

"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 thumbprint

First recorded in 1895–1900; thumb + print


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:

The system's biometric fingerprint process could not accommodate someone like him, as it could not capture his scarred thumbprint or the prints of the other two scarred fingers.

From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026

These versions are also much larger: while an O’Ryan’s potato is about the size of a thumbprint, See’s can stretch up to three inches long.

From Salon ● Mar. 17, 2026

In Hammani’s retelling, he relented after four days, applying his thumbprint to a written confession, which he wasn’t allowed to read.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 29, 2025

If this is your era, put a thumbprint on it.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 10, 2025

It looked like a huge thumbprint, even to whorls of wrinkled skin.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

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