fingerprintingn.
/ˈfɪŋɡəprɪntɪŋ/, U.S. /ˈfɪŋɡərˌprɪn(t)ɪŋ/ 1. The action or practice of taking a person's fingerprints, or of examining an object for fingerprints.
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society > communication > indication > that which identifies or distinguishes > personal identification > [noun] > fingerprint taken for purpose of > fingerprinting
printing1869
fingerprinting1891
genetic fingerprinting1984
1891 Nineteenth Cent. Aug. 311 The last part of our programme is to consider what professionals are likely to take to the occupation of finger-printing.
1922 Glasgow Herald 2 Nov. 6 The big Danish prisons, where fingerprinting is an important factor.
1956 A. Huxley Adonis & Alphabet 109 Thanks to finger-printing, punched cards and IBM machines, they know practically everything about practically everyone.
1987 M. Hughes Log Jam (1989) vi. 81 Slowly, out of the pelter of questions, the finger-printing and photographing, one clear picture emerging.
2008 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 12 June 26/2 The notorious Black Act..sought to limit Indians' movements by mandating identity cards and fingerprinting for all Indian residents.
2. The precise identification or characterization of a substance or other subject of study by scientific analysis, esp. using spectroscopic or chromatographic techniques.DNA fingerprinting, genetic fingerprinting: see the first element.
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1931 Industr. & Engin. Chem. 23 1233/2 One may understand from the experimental side of the Raman effect how it may be very valuable in identifying chemical compounds, merely as an empirical method of finger printing.
1958 Sci. Amer. Jan. 19/3 The electrophoretic ‘fingerprinting’ technique..to distinguish the hemoglobin of men, horses and whales.
2002 R. N. Reeve Introd. Environmental Anal. iv. 97 Polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and their alkylated derivatives have been used as reference compounds in the finger-printing of oil spills.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2016; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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