Bertillon system

[ bur-tl-on sis-tuhm ]

noun

1. a system of identifying persons, especially criminals, by a record of individual physical measurements and peculiarities: fingerprinting soon supplanted the Bertillon system as the primary identifying technique in forensic science:

   The suspect’s facial measurements, taken and assessed through the Bertillon system, were used to prove her guilt, even though she had a very sound alibi.

Bertillon system

/ ˈbɜːtɪˌlɒn; bɛrtijɔ̃ /

noun

1. a system formerly in use for identifying persons, esp criminals, by means of a detailed record of physical characteristics

Word History and Origins

Origin of Bertillon system¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; named after A. Bertillon

Word History and Origins

Origin of Bertillon system¹

C19: named after Alphonse Bertillon (1853–1914), French criminal investigator

Example Sentences

The Bertillon system was only one of Bertillon’s achievements.

From Literature

While fingerprints were being taken, the authorities still relied heavily on the Bertillon system of body measurements, markings and personality characteristics to identify criminals.

From New York Times

The state has the Bertillon system, but it's in use only in the penitentiary, as a permanent record.

From Project Gutenberg

There are almost always moles or birth-marks, serving for identification, on the body of every one, and a record of these is, as already noted, an important though subsidiary part of the Bertillon system.

From Project Gutenberg

Compare this with the old Bertillon system of anthropometric measurements.

From Project Gutenberg