printer

noun

print·​er ˈprin-tər How to pronounce printer (audio)
: one that prints: such as
a
: a person engaged in printing
b
: a device used for printing
especially : a machine for printing from photographic negatives
c
: a device (such as an inkjet printer) that produces printouts

Examples of printer in a Sentence

I need a new printer for my office. Benjamin Franklin was originally a printer. The manuscript was sent to the printer yesterday.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With the money from previous fundraisers and the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation grant, Jaiden said one of their new initiatives is to install tech centers in senior centers, creating a helpful resource that includes some desktop computers and possibly a printer. Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Jan. 2026 Alongside oil wells underground, the developer acknowledged a portion of this land had previously been used as a dumping site for things like torpedo propellant and printer fluid. Sarah Horbacewicz, CBS News, 20 Jan. 2026 After Thanksgiving, when ICE was cracking down on Chicago, the store began handing out whistles, which are created by 3-D printers owned by a growing, informal network of people who provide them to the store free of charge. Ross Raihala, Twin Cities, 17 Jan. 2026 The nearly $25 million award will support efforts to create a 3D printer that can craft new livers from a person’s own cells, an approach designed to reduce the risk of organ rejection that can come with transplantation. Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for printer

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of printer was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Printer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/printer. Accessed 25 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

printer

noun
print·​er ˈprint-ər How to pronounce printer (audio)
1
: a person whose business is printing
2
: a device used for printing or for making printouts

More from Merriam-Webster on printer

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