Etymologically
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printer

Etymology and origin of the English word printer

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
early 15th century

Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /ˈprɪn.tə/, US /ˈprɪn.t̬ɚ/[1]

Etymology

It is formed from print and -er.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

A signet or seal: the early 15th century in Etymonline.[2]

Semantic evolution

A person whose business is printing books is from about 1500,[2] 1504 in the OED, and anyone who prints from 1567.[3] A mechanical printing device is from 1859, first in telegraphy,[2][3] a cotton cloth for printing on from 1864,[3] and the computer printer from 1946.[2][3] The Printers' Bible (about 1702) has “printers” for “princes” in Psalm 119:161, so that it reads “Printers have persecuted me without a cause”.[2]

Timeline

  • early 15th century – a seal.[2]
  • 1504 – a printer of books.[3]
  • 1859 – a printing telegraph.[2][3]
  • 1864 – a printing cloth.[3]
  • 1946 – a computer printer.[2][3]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A person or business engaged in printing.
  2. A machine or device that prints.
  3. (computing) An output device that prints on paper.
  4. A machine for making photographic prints from negatives.

Word family

  • printerlike
  • printery
  • teleprinter
  • impact printer
  • job printer
  • laser printer
  • line printer
  • printer's devil

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Printer.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/printer. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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