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fin·ger·print | \ ˈfiŋ-gər-ˌprint 
\
\Definition of fingerprint
1 : the impression of a fingertip on any surface also : an ink impression of the lines upon the fingertip taken for the purpose of identification
2 : something that identifies: such as
a : a trait, trace, or characteristic revealing origin or responsibility
b : analytical evidence (such as a spectrogram) that characterizes an object or substance especially : the chromatogram or electrophoretogram obtained by cleaving a protein by enzymatic action and subjecting the resulting collection of peptides to two-dimensional chromatography or electrophoresis
c : the base-pair pattern in an individual's DNA obtained by DNA fingerprinting
Illustration of fingerprint
fingerprint 1: 1 arch, 2 loop, 3 whorl, 4 composite
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Synonyms for fingerprint
Synonyms
- affection,
- attribute,
- attribution,
- character,
- characteristic,
- criterion,
- diagnostic,
- differentia,
- feature,
- hallmark,
- mark,
- marker,
- note,
- particularity,
- peculiarity,
- point,
- property,
- quality,
- specific,
- stamp,
- touch,
- trait
Examples of fingerprint in a Sentence
Detectives found his fingerprints all over the gun.
Everyone has a unique fingerprint.
Recent Examples on the Web This Android tablet comes with Android Oreo, front and rear cameras, a fingerprint scanner and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 450 processor.
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Cnet, SFChronicle.com, "Best Android tablets this year," 19 June 2020 There is an optical fingerprint sensor under the display and facial recognition.
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Jim Rossman, Dallas News, "TCL 10 Pro smartphone joins the midpriced crowd," 18 June 2020 Inside the car, investigators found Carrillo's fingerprint on a can of white spray paint, according to the complaint.
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Katie Shepherd, Anchorage Daily News, "An officer was murdered during Oakland protests. The killer was a ‘Boogaloo Boy’ using the peaceful marches as cover, feds say.," 17 June 2020 What sets it apart from the rest of the list is its fingerprint and password security; these will keep your sensitive data away from prying eyes.
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Popular Science, "Trusted portable hard drives for taking your data on the go," 12 June 2020 While the fingerprint reader is the primary way to access the inside, having multiple entry options enables access to more than one person if desired.
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The Editors, Field & Stream, "Three Things to Consider Before Buying a Biometric Safe," 11 June 2020 There's a headphone jack, a rear capacitive fingerprint reader, a USB-C port, and a Micro SD slot.
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Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, "The Motorola Fusion+ is a pop-up camera phone with a blemish free display," 8 June 2020 Through camera trap footage and a rigorous system of identifying the snakes by their patterns, which act something like a fingerprint, Amarello analyzed the interactions between pairs of non-mating individuals.
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Erin Stone, azcentral, "Snakes aren't all cold-blooded loners, an ASU researcher says. They have friends, too," 8 June 2020 Digital fingerprint security will be disabled and external visitors won’t be allowed.
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Charlie Devereux, Bloomberg.com, "Botin’s Vision of Future Pays Off for Santander in Age of Covid-19," 4 June 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fingerprint.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for fingerprint
fingerprint
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of fingerprint
: the mark that is made by pressing the tip of a finger on a surface
: a mark of this kind made in ink for the purpose of identifying a person
: something (such as genetic material) that can be used to identify a person
See the full definition for fingerprint in the English Language Learners Dictionary
fingerprint
nounfin·ger·print | \ ˈfiŋ-gər-ˌprint \
\Kids Definition of fingerprint
(Entry 1 of 2)
: the unique pattern of marks made by pressing the tip of a finger on a surface
fingerprint
verbfingerprinted; fingerprinting
Kids Definition of fingerprint (Entry 2 of 2)
: to obtain fingerprints in order to identify a person
fingerprint
nounfin·ger·print | \ -ˌprint \
\Medical Definition of fingerprint
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : the impression of a fingertip on any surface especially : an ink impression of the lines on the fingertip taken for purpose of identification
2 : analytical evidence (as a spectrogram) that characterizes an object or substance especially : the chromatogram or electrophoretogram obtained by cleaving a protein by enzymatic action and subjecting the resulting collection of peptides to two-dimensional chromatography or electrophoresis — compare dna fingerprinting
fingerprint
transitive verbMedical Definition of fingerprint (Entry 2 of 2)
: to analyze (as spectrographically or chromatographically) in order to determine uniquely the identifying characteristics, origin, or constitution of
each protein was fingerprinted
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fingerprint
nounfin·ger·print
Legal Definition of fingerprint
: the impression of a fingertip on any surface also : an ink impression of the lines upon the fingertip taken for the purpose of identification (as during the booking procedure following an arrest) — see also dna fingerprinting
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Time Traveler for fingerprint
The first known use of fingerprint was in 1737
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