imprinting

[ im-prin-ting ]

noun

, Animal Behavior, Psychology.

1. rapid learning that occurs during a brief receptive period, typically soon after birth or hatching, and establishes a long-lasting behavioral response to a specific individual or object, as attachment to parent, offspring, or site.

imprinting

/ ɪmˈprɪntɪŋ /

noun

1. the development through exceptionally fast learning in young animals of recognition of and attraction to members of their own species or to surrogates

imprinting

/ ĭm′prĭn′tĭng /

1. A rapid learning process by which a newborn or very young animal establishes a behavior pattern of recognition and attraction towards other animals of its own kind, as well as to specific individuals of its species, such as its parents, or to a substitute for these. Ducklings, for example, will imprint upon and follow the first large moving object they observe. In nature, this is usually their mother, but they can be made to imprint upon other moving objects, such as a soccer ball.

Word History and Origins

Origin of imprinting¹

1937; imprint + -ing ¹, translation of German Prägung, K. Lorenz's term

Example Sentences

How the process of imprinting works remains mysterious, but we know that it kneecaps embryonic cells’ ability to develop into multiple types of mature cells and limits their potential for genetic engineering.

From Singularity Hub 

More channels, more competition for the viewers' attention, means fewer shows imprinting themselves on the culture.

From The Daily Beast

The new oil paint, that is, reveals the sacred story of spiritual light imprinting on matter better than ever before.

From The Daily Beast

Imprinting is introduced in Eclipse as an involuntary, lifelong attachment to a soul mate.

From The Daily Beast

The fastidious and leisurely still seal their envelopes with wax, imprinting thus their monogram.

From Project Gutenberg

Chocolate manufacturers seemed to have a passion for imprinting their Quakerly names on every bit of stuff they sold.

From Project Gutenberg

Each morning the child greets his father by imprinting a kiss upon the hand.

From Project Gutenberg

He shook his head, his eyes roaming over her hungrily, imprinting every detail of her beauty on his memory to stay.

From Project Gutenberg

From whom was the paper purchased on which appears the imprinting on the exhibit identified here as Commission Exhibit No. 996.

From Project Gutenberg