fingerprint
mark of a finger on a surface
A mark your finger leaves on something you touch, which can show who touched it.
a fingerprint on [something]
- Investigators found a clear fingerprint on the broken window.
- The glass had his fingerprint on it, proving he had touched it.
- Because the fingerprint was only partial, it was hard to identify the suspect.
- The thief wiped the door handle to remove any fingerprints.
- Technicians dusted the table and revealed several latent fingerprints.
- The police found a fingerprint on the door.
- Her fingerprint was on the phone screen.
- There was a clear fingerprint on the glass.
- They cleaned the room to remove all fingerprints.
person’s unique finger patterns
The special lines on a person’s fingers that are different for everyone and can be used to know who they are.
[someone]'s fingerprints
- All new employees must provide their fingerprints for security records.
- The suspect’s fingerprints were already in the national database.
- Identical twins have different fingerprints, even though they share the same DNA.
- Border control officers scanned his fingerprints before letting him through.
- The school stores parents’ fingerprints to allow them to enter the building.
- The police took his fingerprints at the station.
- Her fingerprints are in the police computer.
- They used his fingerprints to find out who he was.
- Your fingerprints are different from my fingerprints.
distinctive sign of origin
A special sign or style that shows who made or caused something.
the fingerprints of [someone/something] on [something]
- The director’s fingerprints are all over this film, from the music to the camera work.
- Experts could see the fingerprints of Russian hackers in the code used for the attack.
- The report bore the clear fingerprints of the marketing department.
- This policy has the fingerprints of corporate lobbyists all over it.
- The designer’s fingerprints are visible in every detail of the product.
- This movie has the director’s fingerprints on every scene.
- I can see the manager’s fingerprints on this plan.
- The hacker’s fingerprints are in the computer code.
- Her fingerprints are on all of the company’s ads.
digital code that identifies data
A short digital code or pattern that is used to know exactly which file, program, or device something is.
a fingerprint of [data/device]
- The software calculates a cryptographic fingerprint for each downloaded file.
- Websites can track users by creating a unique browser fingerprint based on their settings.
- Each device has a digital fingerprint that allows the system to recognize it.
- The certificate fingerprint is shown so users can verify the server’s identity.
- They compared the image fingerprints to detect duplicate photos.
- Your phone has a digital fingerprint on the network.
- The program makes a fingerprint of each file.
- A browser fingerprint can show who you are online.
- The website uses a fingerprint to find the same photo again.
take someone’s fingerprints
To make official records of the marks from someone’s fingers, usually by the police or other authorities.
to fingerprint [someone]
- The police fingerprinted the suspect after the arrest.
- All visitors were fingerprinted before they entered the high-security lab.
- New staff must be fingerprinted as part of the background check.
- Immigration officers routinely photograph and fingerprint arrivals.
- He refused to be fingerprinted without a lawyer present.
- The police fingerprinted him at the station.
- Every new worker is fingerprinted on the first day.
- They will fingerprint you when you arrive at the airport.
- She was fingerprinted after she was arrested.
generate a digital fingerprint
To make a special digital code or pattern that can be used to know exactly which file, program, or device something is.
to fingerprint [data/device]
- The system fingerprints each file to detect changes over time.
- Many analytics tools fingerprint users’ browsers without their knowledge.
- We need to fingerprint all devices connecting to the corporate network.
- The service fingerprints incoming traffic to identify known attack patterns.
- They fingerprint images to find copies on other sites.
- The program fingerprints every new file.
- Websites can fingerprint your browser.
- The company will fingerprint all phones on the network.
- The tool fingerprints the data to check if it changes.
- Base: fingerprint
- Plural: fingerprints
- Base: fingerprint
- 3rd Person Singular: fingerprints
- Present Participle: fingerprinting
- Past: fingerprinted
browser fingerprint
1unique pattern of browser data
A special pattern made from your browser’s settings and data that websites can use to know it is you.
- Websites can track you by creating a browser fingerprint instead of using cookies.
- Privacy tools try to make every user look the same to prevent browser fingerprinting.
device fingerprint
1unique profile of a device
A group of details about a device, like its hardware and software, that together make it easy to know exactly which device it is.
- The security system creates a device fingerprint for every laptop that connects.
- Banks often use device fingerprints to detect suspicious logins.
digital fingerprint
1unique digital identifier
A special digital code or pattern that shows exactly which file, program, or device something is.
- Each photo is given a digital fingerprint so the system can spot duplicates.
- Your phone has a digital fingerprint that the network uses to recognize it.
dust for fingerprints
1use powder to find fingerprints
To put powder on a surface so that hidden fingerprints can be seen.
- Crime scene technicians arrived and began to dust for fingerprints.
- The detective ordered the team to dust the door handles for fingerprints.
have someone's fingerprints on file
1store fingerprints in records
To keep a copy of a person’s fingerprints in an official record, usually in a computer system.
- The police already had his fingerprints on file from a previous arrest.
- All employees’ fingerprints are on file with the security office.
leave a fingerprint
1make a fingerprint on something
To make a mark from your finger on something you touch.
- He left a fingerprint on the window when he tried to open it.
- Don’t touch the glass, or you’ll leave fingerprints on it.
lift a fingerprint
1remove fingerprint for analysis
To take a fingerprint off a surface using special tape or tools so that it can be studied.
- The technician lifted the fingerprint from the doorknob with clear tape.
- They managed to lift only one good fingerprint from the gun.
match a fingerprint
1find who a fingerprint belongs to
To compare a fingerprint with others to see if they are the same and find who it belongs to.
- They matched the fingerprint from the crime scene to one in the database.
- The computer failed to match the fingerprint with any known suspect.
take someone's fingerprints
1record someone’s fingerprints
To make official copies of the marks from a person’s fingers, usually by the police or another authority.
- The officers took his fingerprints as soon as he arrived at the station.
- At the border they took everyone’s fingerprints and photos.
the fingerprints of something
1clear signs of an influence
Obvious signs that show who or what caused or influenced something.
- This plan has the fingerprints of the finance department all over it.
- Experts say the attack bears the fingerprints of a state-backed hacking group.