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noun Common

printing

PRIHN-tihng
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Printing (noun) means the process or industry of producing printed materials. Example: “Modern printing can produce thousands of books in a single day.”

noun
1
The process or industry of producing printed materials.
"Modern printing can produce thousands of books in a single day."
"He works in printing, running the big machines at the factory."
"The invention of printing transformed how information spread across Europe."
2
Handwritten letters that are not joined together, unlike cursive.
"The instructions said, "Please sign your name and then print your name below your signature," so he wrote out his name underneath in the neatest printing that his hand could muster."
"Young pupils learn printing before they move on to joined-up writing."
"Please fill in the form using clear printing in capital letters."
"His printing was neat and easy to read."

How to use printing

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe activity or business of printing, or handwriting done in separate (unjoined) letters.

Common pairings
a printing press first printing neat printing
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Word forms

Plural
printings
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

Modern _____ can produce thousands of books in a single day.

Etymology

Formed from print plus -ing.

Related words

Rhymes for printing

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Frequently asked questions

What does “printing” mean?
The word “printing” means the process or industry of producing printed materials. In plain terms, the activity or business of printing, or handwriting done in separate (unjoined) letters.
How do you pronounce “printing”?
“Printing” is pronounced PRIHN-tihng (/ˈpɹɪnɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “printing” in a sentence?
Here is “printing” used in a sentence: “The invention of printing transformed how information spread across Europe.”
What part of speech is “printing”?
“Printing” is a noun.
Is “printing” a common word?
“Printing” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “printing” have?
“Printing” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the process or industry of producing printed materials.
What is the difference between printing and cursive?
In handwriting, printing means forming letters separately so they do not join, while cursive joins the letters together in a flowing style. Printing is often easier to read, whereas cursive can usually be written more quickly.
What is the difference between printing and publishing?
Printing is the process of physically producing printed materials, such as putting ink on paper. Publishing is the wider business of preparing, issuing, and distributing that material to the public, of which printing is only one stage.
What is the difference between printing and typing?
Printing, in the handwriting sense, means writing letters by hand without joining them. Typing means producing text using a keyboard. Printing is done by hand, while typing is done on a device.

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