blueprint

noun

blue·​print ˈblü-ˌprint 

plural blueprints

1

: a photographic print in white on a bright blue ground or blue on a white ground used especially for copying maps, mechanical drawings, and architects' plans

2

: something or someone resembling a blueprint (as in serving as a model or providing guidance)

… few foundations have taken a similar [investing] route, so there was no blueprint to follow.

—Paul Sullivan

He was an anomaly to the rap world when he arrived, but today he is the blueprint for a generation.

—Jeff Ihaza

especially : a detailed plan or program of action

a blueprint for success

blueprint transitive verb

blueprinted; blueprinting; blueprints

It was not something blueprinted from the start or based on a French bistro archetype; it's a restaurant that has grown and evolved …

—Ian McNulty

Synonyms

• arrangement
• design
• game
• game plan
• ground plan
• master plan
• plan
• program
• project
• road map
• scheme
• strategy
• system

Examples of blueprint in a Sentence

a blueprint for reforming the public school system

an ambitious young man with a remarkably detailed blueprint for becoming a millionaire by the age of 25

Recent Examples on the Web

Yet this work succeeds as a thrilling and ambitious blueprint for what might be an essential way to experience horror storytelling. —William Earl, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024

If successful, it could be used as a blueprint for prosecutors across the country, according to legal experts. —Will Carless, USA TODAY, 3 Apr. 2024

The document served as a blueprint of election responsibilities and was the final step in putting Lewis at the helm of most of the county's election operations. —Sasha Hupka, The Arizona Republic, 29 Mar. 2024

Technical scoring and priorities were clearly identified, providing an even playing field and the blueprint for measurement. —Kate Vitasek, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

This will provide a unique visual spectacle, organizers hope, but also a sustainable blueprint for an event that’s historically been anything but. —Keir Simmons, NBC News, 27 Mar. 2024

Drawing on feedback from public listening sessions, over 70 stakeholder meetings, and consultant research, the 10-year blueprint outlines both short- and long-term strategies. —Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 21 Mar. 2024

Kruger said the board has done this and already has a guiding document: the village's comprehensive plan, which was adopted in 2019 and serves as a blueprint to guide decision-making efforts in Whitefish Bay over the next decade, according to the plan. —Claudia Levens, Journal Sentinel, 19 Mar. 2024

The blueprint for all Jerome visitors is a simple one. —Roger Naylor, The Arizona Republic, 22 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

blueprint

1 of 2 noun

blue·​print

ˈblü-ˌprint

1

: a photographic print made with white lines on a blue background and used especially for copying mechanical drawings, maps, and architects' plans

2

: a detailed plan or program of action

blueprint

2 of 2 verb

: to make a blueprint of or for