UK[prɪnt]US[prɪnt]
v
To produce words, numbers, or pictures on paper or other material using a machine.
v
To write words by hand using letters that are not joined together.
n
Letters, words, or pictures that have been produced on paper by a machine.
n
A mark left on a surface by something that has been pressed against it.
Etymology
The word 'print' has a journey that is deeply physical, originating from the Proto-Indo-European root per- (to strike). This evolved into the Latin verb 'premere', meaning 'to press'. The concept passed into Old French as 'preindre', with its related noun 'preinte' signifying the mark or impression left by that pressing action. Borrowed into Middle English, the word 'prenten' or 'printen' initially referred to the physical act of impressing a seal or stamp. The logic of the term seamlessly extended with the invention of the printing press, where type was literally pressed onto paper, transforming the concrete action of pressing into the abstract modern meanings of producing text, images, or any reproducible impression.
Analysis
The word 'print' is a simplex word derived from a single root. Its origin is the Old French verb 'preinte', 'priente', meaning 'impression, mark', which is the past participle stem of 'preindre' (to press), itself from the Latin verb 'premere' (to press). The functional role of the root is to convey the core action of pressing to leave a mark or impression.
Examples
The document will print on the laser printer in a few moments.
Please print your name clearly at the top of the form.
The book is still in print and widely available.