printer

/ˈprɪntər/
/ˈprɪntə/
IPA guide

Other forms: printers

A printer might be a person whose job is to make copies of printed material, or a machine that’s hooked up to a computer and prints on paper. With a 3D printer, you can even “print” a spatula!

A 3D printer creates a replica of an image sent to it from a computer, whether it’s a car part or a spatula. Most people have the regular kind of printer, though, that they use to print things like essays or articles. Or, you might hire a printer to make your wedding invitations. The original printers, circa 1500, were people who operated a moveable type printing press (invented in 1450), printing books and other texts in small quantities.

Definitions of printer
  1. noun
    someone whose occupation is printing
    synonyms: pressman
    see moresee less
    examples:
    show 6 examples...
    hide 6 examples...
    Gianbattista Bodoni
    Italian printer who designed the Bodoni font (1740-1813)
    William Bradford
    United States printer (born in England) whose press produced the first American prayer book and the New York City's first newspaper (1663-1752)
    William Caxton
    English printer who in 1474 printed the first book in English (1422-1491)
    Benjamin Franklin
    printer whose success as an author led him to take up politics; he helped draw up the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; he played a major role in the American Revolution and negotiated French support for the colonists; as a scientist he is remembered particularly for his research in electricity (1706-1790)
    Frederic William Goudy
    United States printer noted for designing typefaces (1865-1947)
    Johannes Gutenberg
    German printer who was the first in Europe to print using movable type and the first to use a press (1400-1468)
    types:
    compositor, setter, typesetter, typographer
    one who sets written material into type
    proofreader, reader
    someone who reads proof in order to find errors and mark corrections
    type of:
    skilled worker, skilled workman, trained worker
    a worker who has acquired special skills
  2. noun
    (computer science) an output device that prints the results of data processing
    see moresee less
    types:
    dot matrix printer, dot printer, matrix printer
    a printer that represents each character as a pattern of dots from a dot matrix
    ink-jet printer
    a printer that produces characters by projecting electrically charged droplets of ink
    stylus printer, wire matrix printer, wire printer
    an impact printer in which each character is represented by a pattern of dots made by wires or styli
    type of:
    computer peripheral, peripheral, peripheral device
    (computer science) electronic equipment connected by cable to the CPU of a computer
    printing machine
    a machine that prints
  3. noun
    a machine that prints
    synonyms: printing machine
    see moresee less
    types:
    show 21 types...
    hide 21 types...
    Addressograph, addressing machine
    a printer that automatically prints addresses on letters for mailing
    character printer, character-at-a-time printer, serial printer
    a printer that prints a single character at a time
    electrostatic printer
    a printer that uses an electric charge to deposit toner on paper
    impact printer
    a printer that prints by mechanical impacts
    line printer, line-at-a-time printer
    printer that serves as an output device on a computer; prints a whole line of characters at a time
    page printer, page-at-a-time printer
    a printer that prints one page at a time
    thermal printer
    a printer that produces characters by applying heat to special paper that is sensitive to heat
    typesetting machine
    a printer that sets textual material in type
    bar printer
    an impact printer that uses a bar to carry the type slugs
    chain printer
    an impact printer that carries the type slugs by links of a revolving chain
    daisywheel printer
    a printer that uses a daisy print wheel
    dot matrix printer, dot printer, matrix printer
    a printer that represents each character as a pattern of dots from a dot matrix
    drum printer
    a line printer in which the type is mounted on a rotating drum that contains a full character set for each printing position
    laser printer
    electrostatic printer that focuses a laser beam to form images that are transferred to paper electrostatically
    Linotype, Linotype machine
    a typesetting machine operated from a keyboard that casts an entire line as a single slug of metal
    monotype
    a typesetting machine operated from a keyboard that sets separate characters
    teleprinter, teletype machine, teletypewriter, telex, telex machine
    a character printer connected to a telegraph that operates like a typewriter
    stock ticker, ticker
    a character printer that automatically prints stock quotations on ticker tape
    typewriter
    hand-operated character printer for printing written messages one character at a time
    stylus printer, wire matrix printer, wire printer
    an impact printer in which each character is represented by a pattern of dots made by wires or styli
    xerographic printer
    a page printer that uses the xerographic process
    type of:
    machine
    any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
Pronunciation
US
/ˈprɪntər/
UK
/ˈprɪntə/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘printer'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of gold-punch.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family