imprinting

noun

im·​print·​ing ˈim-ˌprin-tiŋ How to pronounce imprinting (audio)
im-ˈprin-
: a rapid learning process that takes place early in the life of a social animal (such as a goose) and establishes a behavior pattern (such as recognition of and attraction to its own kind or a substitute)

Examples of imprinting in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The heroes in a half-shell typically known for their Big Apple adventures must have gotten lost in the sewer system, because they're expected to emerge at the TCL Chinese Theatre's Forecourt of the Stars for a Los Angeles imprinting ceremony next month. Shania Russell, EW.com, 23 Aug. 2023 The pious thing to say is that this imprinting on the classical tradition was essential to the Impressionists’ art; certainly Manet learned much from Spanish painting, and Rubens’s blazing palette obviously affected Renoir. Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 25 Dec. 2023 This imprinting primarily occurs by the age of seven, laying the foundation for our belief systems that continue to evolve throughout our lives. Anna Tan, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 Genomic imprinting is epigenetic, meaning that the underlying DNA sequence doesn't change. Discover Magazine, 10 Oct. 2012 The reason, Ho explains, is a phenomenon called immunological imprinting, in which repeatedly exposing the immune system to one strain—in this case, the ancestral one—skews the immune response in that direction. Byjennifer Couzin-Frankel, science.org, 23 May 2023 This finding rules out rapid postnatal learning, such as filial imprinting, as a mechanism for this visual proclivity. Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 11 June 2017 Inoue and his team studied the histones (basic protein building blocks in chromosomes) that send epigenetic instructions to egg cells in a process called genomic imprinting. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 6 July 2022 That type of imprinting is there forever. Seth Combs, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Dec. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'imprinting.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1937, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of imprinting was in 1937

Dictionary Entries Near imprinting

Cite this Entry

“Imprinting.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/imprinting. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

imprinting

noun
im·​print·​ing ˈim-ˌprint-iŋ How to pronounce imprinting (audio)
im-ˈprint-
: a rapid learning process that takes place early in the life of a social animal (as a goose) and that results in the formation of a special way of behaving (as knowing and being attracted to one's own kind)

Medical Definition

imprinting

noun
im·​print·​ing ˈim-ˌprint-iŋ, im-ˈ How to pronounce imprinting (audio)
1
: a rapid learning process that takes place early in the life of a social animal (as a greylag goose) and establishes a behavior pattern (as recognition of and attraction to its own kind or a substitute)
2
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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