toner

American  

[toh-ner] / ˈtoʊ nər /

noun

toners plural

1. a person or thing that tones.

2. a highly concentrated organic pigment containing little or no inert matter.

3. a powder, either dry or dispersed in an organic liquid, used in xerography to produce the final image.

4. Also called chemical toner.  Photography, Movies. a chemical solution used to change the color of and, in some cases, help preserve black-and-white prints and motion-picture film by altering or replacing the silver image.

5. a worker for a paint manufacturer who tests the color and quality of paint.

6. a cosmetic preparation, usually a liquid, used to restore firmness to the skin.

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toner British  

/ ˈtəʊnə /

noun

1. a person or thing that tones or produces tones, esp a concentrated pure organic pigment

2. a cosmetic preparation that is applied to produce a required effect, such as one that softens or alters hair colour or one that reduces the oiliness of the skin

3. photog a chemical solution that softens or alters the colour of the tones of a photographic image

4. a powdered chemical used in photocopying machines and laser printers, which is transferred onto paper to form the printed image

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• toners
  plural

Etymology

Origin of toner

First recorded in 1885–90; tone + -er ¹

Explanation

Toner is the substance used in a photocopier or laser printer that forms the printed image or text on paper. It's also the name of solution used to tint or color photographs. Printer toner is a black powder, while photography toner is a strong-smelling liquid sometimes called a "chemical bath." There's also a skincare toner, which you might use on your face after washing to condition your skin or shrink your pores. The photography sense of toner is the oldest, dating from around 1920.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

toner toners

Inside, there are stations of SPF lotions, rows of toner pads and scanners that purport to analyze skin and scalp health.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

That was IBM’s printer division, and they had this little chip on their toner cartridge with powdered carbon.

From Slate ● Oct. 13, 2025

The air smells faintly of printer toner and eucalyptus.

From Salon ● Apr. 20, 2025

“I went to Office Depot, but they didn’t have toner cartridges, and we weren’t able to print the ballots,” Wallace said Wednesday.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 8, 2023

When the Proactiv infomercials hit the airwaves, my mom paid for a rush order, but even the face wash, toner, and lotion combo couldn't conquer my clogged pores and whiteheads.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

The BBC sent ingredients lists of two BHA 2% salicylic acid toners with similar packaging to Dr Bhate.

From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2025

Another growing US-based brand, Evereden, sells products for pre-teens such as face-mists, toners and moisturisers and claims annual sales of over 100 million dollars.

From Barron's ● Nov. 28, 2025

Pena had to toss out all his materials — ink toners, vinyl rolls, packing materials.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 27, 2023

Then Cooper immerses each finished print in selenium- and gold-based toners, layering reds and blues.

From The New Yorker ● Sep. 30, 2019

Here, the exfoliating toners that will reset your skin gently, and how to apply them.

From New York Times ● May 29, 2018