thumbprint

noun

thumb·​print ˈthəm-ˌprint 

1

: an impression made by the thumb

especially : a print made by the inside of the first joint

2

: something that identifies

especially : fingerprint sense 2a

Examples of thumbprint in a Sentence

He left a dirty thumbprint on the page.

Recent Examples on the Web

Early accounts of grassroots democracy in India describe how higher-caste landowners controlled the votes of their lower-caste dependents, sometimes even marking ballots that the voters had to authenticate with their thumbprints. — Asim Ali, Time, 24 Oct. 2026

At its home in that anonymous business park outside Bristol, the studio is still leaving its mark, one thumbprint at a time. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 22 Oct. 2026

But Fertitta also has his thumbprint on casual and family dining spots like the Rainforest Cafe franchise and Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. — CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026

The butter should be soft enough to hold a thumbprint but still keep its shape when pressed. — Martha Stewart, 27 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1900, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for thumbprint

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

Kids Definition

thumbprint

noun

thumb·​print ˈthəm-ˌprint 

: an impression made by the thumb