a printer that produces characters by burning the image on specially coated paper
Also called: thermal printer
thermal printer in American English
noun
Computing
a printer that produces output by selectively heating a heat-sensitive paper (thermal paper) in patterns corresponding to the characters to be produced
Word origin
[1980–85]This word is first recorded in the period 1980–85. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: NIMBY, Santería, hub-and-spoke, postfeminist, starch blocker
Examples of 'thermal printer' in a sentence
thermal printer
It also sells small thermal printers and ribbons for low-volume printing.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Transilluminators and thermal printers are also optional components, and the total system price depends on the final configuration the user chooses.
The Scientist (2001)
The reason is many shops use thermal printers, which form letters by directing heat onto temperature-sensitive paper.