imprint

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verb im·print \im-ˈprint, ˈim-ˌprint\

Definition of imprint

transitive verb
1 : to mark by or as if by pressure : impress
2a : to fix indelibly or permanently (as on the memory)b : to subject to or induce by imprinting an imprinted preference
intransitive verb
: to undergo imprinting

imprinter

play \im-ˈprin-tər, ˈim-ˌprin-\ noun

See imprint defined for English-language learners

See imprint defined for kids

Examples of imprint in a Sentence

wearing a T-shirt imprinted with the company logo
a picture imprinted in my memory

Recent Examples of imprint from the Web

Destroyer Culver City, $-$$ At this indoor-outdoor daytime spot (named after a comet), Jordan Kahn rigorously imprints a Nordic aesthetic on his vegetable-forward California café menu.

— garrett snyder, Los Angeles Magazine, "The Los Angeles Magazine Hot Restaurant List for July 2017," 18 July 2017
Clay bullae are balls of clay with seals imprinted on the surface, used to show a document’s authenticity.

— derek hawkins, Washington Post, "Hobby Lobby fined $3 million for artifacts smuggled from Iraq," 6 July 2017
Till Labor Day the stitching of a Japanese carmaker will be imprinted, like the red seams of a baseball, on the back of my soft suburban thighs.

— chris erskine, latimes.com, "Mother Ocean calls me on a roasting midsummer day. I feel as if I've been harpooned," 5 July 2017
Be sure your current phone number and address are imprinted on the tags.

— carolina gusman, sandiegouniontribune.com, "5 things to do for a family-friendly Fourth in San Diego," 28 June 2017
Touzalin said contact with the bird is extremely limited so as not to imprint human voices and appearances.

— suzanne baker, Naperville Sun, "Hawk nestling gets new room to roost," 27 June 2017
And because the CMB is a relic leftover from the early universe, that pattern imprinted on the CMB should look something like the unexplained cold spot.

— NBC News, "Cosmic 'Bruise' Could Be Evidence for Multiple Universes," 14 June 2017
Devotees of her cult believe that in 1531 the Virgin appeared miraculously to a peasant named Juan Diego on a hilltop called Tepeyac, bringing him roses in winter and then leaving behind her image miraculously imprinted on his cloak.

— marla jo fisher, The Mercury News, "10 free awesome places you can see in the world," 7 June 2017
Devotees of her cult believe that in 1531 the Virgin appeared miraculously to a peasant named Juan Diego on a hilltop called Tepeyac, bringing him roses in winter and then leaving behind her image miraculously imprinted on his cloak.

— marla jo fisher, Orange County Register, "10 awesome places in the world you can see for free," 6 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'imprint.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of imprint

Middle English emprenten, from Anglo-French emprient, 3rd singular of enpreindre to impress (from Latin imprimere) & empreinter, from emprent, past participle of enpreindre

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

imprint

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noun im·print \ˈim-ˌprint\

Definition of imprint

: something imprinted or printed: such asa : a mark or depression made by pressure the fossil imprint of a dinosaur's footb : an identifying name (as of a publisher) placed conspicuously on a product; also : the name under which a publisher issues booksc : an indelible distinguishing effect or influence

See imprint defined for English-language learners

Examples of imprint in a Sentence

We saw an imprint of a bike tire on the dirt trail.
a fossil imprint of a dinosaur's foot

Recent Examples of imprint from the Web

And Wired Ventures, publishers of Wired magazine and the online service Hotwired, recently started a book-publishing imprint, a television show, and a news wire.

— andrew l. shapiro, Daily Intelligencer, "The New Old Media," 30 June 2017
A few of the performances, especially Nicole Kidman’s, as the lady in charge, and Kirsten Dunst’s, as the teacher pining to flee with the corporal, have some bite, but not enough to make much of an imprint in this brittle, vaporous chamber piece.

— peter rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, "'The Beguiled' is brittle and vaporous," 23 June 2017
The Senators who negotiate those small changes will attract outsized attention, and their public imprint will disproportionately shape coverage.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "Here’s How Republicans Might Pass Their Cruel Health-Care Bill," 22 June 2017
While GM never sold very many and the fuel-hungry trucks got terrible reviews, the cultural imprint was strong.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Hummer Plant Sold to Make Electric Cars," 22 June 2017
The ball left an imprint on the face of Cabrera’s bat.

— rustin dodd, kansascity.com, "Salvador Perez’s grand slam lifts the Royals in 6-4 victory over Red Sox," 21 June 2017
A few months later, one of the authors published by Warner’s imprint noticed that her book was not for sale from the publisher on Amazon’s website.

— Ángel gonzález, The Seattle Times, "Amazon gives book resellers new prominence, and publishers aren’t happy," 15 June 2017
But the imprint of this event and these men's actions will be on Portland for a long time to come.

— samantha swindler, OregonLive.com, "A week of grieving after MAX stabbing attack (Column)," 11 June 2017
After reading the book proposal, Debbie Stier, senior director of publicity at William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, was very interested.

— miamiherald, "These women became the Miami Bombshells and set out to to dish and tell," 25 May 2017

Origin and Etymology of imprint

Middle English enpreent, from Anglo-French emprente, from feminine of emprent, past participle of enpreindre

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

IMPRINT Defined for English Language Learners

imprint

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verb

Definition of imprint for English Language Learners

: to create a mark by pressing against a surface
: to cause (something) to stay in your mind or memory

imprint

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noun

Definition of imprint for English Language Learners

: a mark created by pressing against a surface : something imprinted or printed
: a strong effect or influence
: a publisher's name on the title page of a book

IMPRINT Defined for Kids

imprint

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verb im·print \im-ˈprint\

Definition of imprint for Students

imprinted

;

imprinting

1 : to make a mark by pressing against a surface : stamp The design was imprinted on paper.
2 : to fix firmly in the mind or memory This day is imprinted in my memory.

imprint

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noun im·print \ˈim-ˌprint\

Definition of imprint for Students

: a mark made by pressing against a surface The tires left an imprint.

Medical Dictionary

imprint

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verb im·print \im-ˈprint, ˈim-ˌ\

Medical Definition of imprint

1: to fix indelibly or permanently (as on the memory)
2: to subject to or induce by imprinting an imprinted preference a gene imprinted to be inactive when inherited from the mother
intransitive verb