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 of blueprint

• plan
• strategy
• program
• scheme
• project

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

Their findings provide a blueprint for improving efficiency, stability, and scalability, key steps toward mass deployment and alignment with China’s carbon neutrality goals. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 11 Nov. 2025

And the World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting countries with its operational framework for climate-resilient health systems, offering a blueprint for countries to use these funds to build health systems that can withstand and respond to climate shocks. —Vanessa Kerry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Nov. 2025

Or, a startup that mined a carmaker’s blueprints and claimed fair use. —Gerard Scimeca, Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2025

Ben Nicholls of the Hillcrest Business Association said the few buildings in Hillcrest with historical value have already been preserved in last year’s update to the area’s growth blueprint. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1857, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for blueprint

• footprint
• imprint
• misprint
• newsprint
• nonprint
• preprint
• reprint
• clint
• dint
• glint
• hint
• lint

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