FINGERPRINT

fingermark, fingerprint

(noun) a smudge made by a (dirty) finger

fingerprint

(noun) a print made by an impression of the ridges in the skin of a finger; often used for biometric identification in criminal investigations

fingerprint

(noun) a generic term for any identifying characteristic; “that tax bill had the senator’s fingerprints all over it”

fingerprint

(verb) take an impression of a person’s fingerprints

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Noun

fingerprint (plural fingerprints)

The natural pattern of ridges on the tips of human fingers, unique to each individual.

The patterns left on surfaces where uncovered fingertips have touched, especially as used to identify the person who touched the surface.

(computing) Unique identification for public key in asymmetric cryptosystem.

A unique combination of features that serves as an identification of something.

A trace that gives evidence of someone's involvement.

Hyponyms

• thumbprint

Verb

fingerprint (third-person singular simple present fingerprints, present participle fingerprinting, simple past and past participle fingerprinted)

(transitive) To take somebody's fingerprints.

(transitive) To identify something uniquely by a combination of measurements.

Source: Wiktionary

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