WordGarden.iothumbprint
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /θˈʌmbprɪnt/
US
- /θˈʌmbprɪnt/
Meanings
Noun
the unique pattern on a thumb or the impression it makes for identification
a smudge or mark left by a thumb on a surface
an identifying hash value for a digital certificate, key, or similar security object
More meaningsFewer meanings
a distinctive identifying mark, style, or trace left by someone or something
Beyond the definition
A thumbprint is the mark your thumb leaves on a surface, made by the lines and ridges in your skin. It is special to you, so people have long used it as a simple way to prove who they are. In the past, someone might press a thumb into ink and leave that mark on a document instead of writing a full signature. Today, thumbprints are still linked with identity and security, like unlocking phones or checking who someone is. The word can also suggest a personal touch, as if someone has left a small but clear sign of themselves behind.
A thumbprint is the impression or mark left by the patterned skin on your thumb. The ridges on your thumb form lines that are unique to you, which is why a thumbprint can be used to show identity. These patterns develop before birth and usually stay the same through life, so the mark made by one person's thumb is not the same as another person's. For a long time, people have used thumbprints and fingerprints as proof of identity, especially on official papers or in situations where a written signature was not used. In modern life, thumbprints are also connected with security systems, personal devices, and police work.
Beyond its literal meaning, "thumbprint" can also be used in a figurative way. A thumbprint on something can mean a clear sign, effect, or influence left by a person, group, or event. You might say an artist has left a thumbprint on every piece of work, or that a major event has left its thumbprint on a whole generation.
You can leave a thumbprint in ink, paint, dust, or soft clay, but the word often carries a bigger idea as well. It can stand for identity, individuality, or the lasting trace someone leaves behind. So whether it appears on a document, a phone screen, or in a figurative description, a thumbprint is both a physical mark and a sign of personal presence.
Examples
- 1
Crime evidence
The detective found a clear thumbprint on the glass.
- 2
Phone security
You can unlock the phone with your thumbprint instead of a password.
- Phrasewith your thumbprint
by using your thumb as a form of ID
- 3
Visa application
Her thumbprints were taken when she applied for the visa.
- 4
Children's art
The teacher turned the children's thumbprints into little flower paintings.
See also
Similar
- fingerprint
- thumb mark
Shades of meaning
- latent print
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- leave a thumbprint
- thumbprint identification
- inked thumbprint
Word family
- thumbprints
Explore
- biometrics
- forensics
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- thumbprintnoun