n 1  :  the impression of a fingertip on any surface : esp  :  an ink impression of the lines on the fingertip taken for purpose of identification  2  :  analytical evidence (as a spectrogram) that characterizes an object or substance : esp  :  the chromatogram or electrophoretogram obtained by cleaving a protein by enzymatic action and subjecting the resulting collection of peptides to two-dimensional chromatography or electrophoresis - compare DNA FINGERPRINTING  fingerprint vt fin*ger*print*ing n 
 
 
 
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