Definition of fingerprint noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

fingerprint

noun

/ˈfɪŋɡəprɪnt/

/ˈfɪŋɡərprɪnt/

a mark made by the pattern of lines on the tip of a person’s finger, often used by the police to identify criminals
- His fingerprints were all over the gun.
- to take a suspect’s fingerprints
- The car was examined for fingerprints.
Synonyms mark
markstain ▪ fingerprint ▪ streak ▪ speck ▪ blot ▪ smear ▪ spotThese are all words for a small area of dirt or another substance on a surface.
mark a small area of dirt, a spot or a cut on a surface that makes it look less good:
The kids left dirty marks all over the kitchen floor.
stain a dirty mark on something that is difficult to remove, especially one made by a liquid:
blood stains
fingerprint a mark on a surface made by the pattern of lines on the end of a person’s finger, often used by the police to identify criminals:
Her fingerprints were all over the gun.
streak a long, thin mark or line that is a different colour from the surface it is on:
She had streaks of grey in her hair.
speck a very small mark, spot or piece of a substance on something:
There isn’t a speck of dust anywhere in the house.
blot a spot or dirty mark left on something by a substance such as ink or paint being dropped on a surfacesmear a mark made by something such as oil or paint being spread or rubbed on a surfacespot a small dirty mark on something:
There were grease spots all over the walls.
Patterns
- a streak/speck/blot/smear/spot of something
- a greasy mark/stain/smear
- an ink mark/stain/blot/spot
- a grease mark/stain/spot
- to leave a mark/stain/fingerprint/streak/speck/blot/smear
see also DNA fingerprint, genetic fingerprint
Extra Examples
- She was careful not to leave any fingerprints.
- The investigator questioned him and took his fingerprints.
- The police were able to obtain a set of fingerprints from the suspect.
- The suspect's fingerprints have been matched with those found at the scene of the crime.
- She checked the room for fingerprints.
- She had left an almost perfect set of fingerprints.
- The fingerprints matched those of the suspect.
- The police took their fingerprints.
- They examined the window for fingerprints.
- We'll need to dust the premises for fingerprints.
Topics Crime and punishmentc1
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
… of fingerprints
- set
verb + fingerprint
- leave
- check (something) for
- dust something for
- …
fingerprint + noun
- reader
- scanner
- analysis
- …
See full entry
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See fingerprint in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee fingerprint in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English

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trait

noun

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