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printer

B1
UK/ˈprɪntə(r)/US/ˈprɪn(t)ər/

Neutral to Technical. The device sense is neutral/ubiquitous; the professional/historical sense is more formal.

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Definition

Meaning

A device for producing text and images on paper from a computer.

1. A person or company involved in the business of printing. 2. (Computing) A software component that manages the process of printing. 3. (Film) A device for making copies of film.

Linguistics

Semantic Notes

Primary meaning is overwhelmingly the device. The 'person/company' sense is now a specialist term, often clarified with 'professional', 'commercial', or 'printing press'. In IT contexts, 'printer' can refer to the logical software queue or the physical device.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

No significant lexical differences. Minor spelling variation possible in compounds (e.g., printer-friendly vs. printer friendly).

Connotations

Identical for the device. The 'commercial printer' sense is equally common in both varieties.

Frequency

Device sense is of equal high frequency. The professional sense ('a local printer') is less frequent but equally understood.

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong
laser printerinkjet printernetwork printerwireless printerdefault printerinstall a printerconnect a printer
medium
printer driverprinter cartridgeprinter paperprinter cablecommercial printerprinter error
weak
printer is jammedprinter runs outprinter shopsend to the printer

Grammar

Valency Patterns

[verb] + printer: install/connect/configure/set up/share/use a printerprinter + [verb]: printer prints/jams/works/fails/connects[adjective] + printer: new/wireless/broken/default/networked printer

Vocabulary

Synonyms

Strong

output device

Neutral

printing devicehard-copy unit

Weak

print machinepaper machine (colloquial/slang)

Vocabulary

Antonyms

scannerinput devicemonitor (as output medium)

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

  • “A printer's devil (historical: apprentice in a printing house)”
  • “Fine print (often from a legal printer, but idiom is 'print')”

Usage

Context Usage

Business

Essential office equipment. Discussing specifications (e.g., 'We need a high-speed colour printer for marketing materials'), maintenance contracts, and network printing solutions.

Academic

Common in computer science, library science, and design. Refers to devices for printing research papers, theses, and posters.

Everyday

Very high frequency. Used for home printing, schoolwork, boarding passes, and photos. Often a source of minor frustration ('The printer is out of ink again').

Technical

In computing, can refer to a 'logical printer' (software queue), a 'print server', or a '3D printer'. In graphic arts, refers to high-end commercial printing presses and operators.

Examples

By Part of Speech

adjective

British English

  • We need more printer cartridges.
  • The printer-friendly version saves ink.

American English

  • Do you have printer paper?
  • Check the printer settings.

Examples

By CEFR Level

A2
  • My new printer is on the desk.
  • The printer needs paper.
  • Can you print this for me? The printer is broken.
B1
  • I have to install the printer driver before I can use it.
  • We bought an inexpensive inkjet printer for home.
  • Please make sure the document is printer-ready.
B2
  • The office's network printer is configured to require a security code for release.
  • As a freelance graphic designer, she works closely with a commercial printer to produce her brochures.
  • The 3D printer is currently fabricating a prototype of the new part.
C1
  • The printer's spooler service crashed, causing a backlog in the print queue.
  • He runs a small but highly specialised lithographic printer that caters to fine art publishers.
  • The firmware update for the multifunction printer inadvertently introduced a security vulnerability.

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

PRINTer: You send a document from your computer, and it PRINTS a copy -ER (the thing that does the action). Think: Mixer mixes, Printer prints.

Conceptual Metaphor

A PRINTER is a FACTORY for documents (it takes raw materials - ink/paper - and produces a finished product).

Watch out

Common Pitfalls

Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)

  • Avoid using 'печатник' (pechatnik) for the device; it primarily means a printing worker. The device is 'принтер' (printer), a direct loanword.
  • Don't confuse 'printer' (устройство) with 'printing house' (типография).
  • In Russian, 'распечатать' means 'to print out', but the noun is still 'принтер'.

Common Mistakes

  • Incorrect article: 'I need printer' instead of 'I need a printer'.
  • Pronoun confusion: Referring to a printer as 'he' or 'she' instead of 'it'.
  • Verb form: 'I will printer the document' (incorrect) vs. 'I will print the document'.
  • Spelling: 'printor' or 'prenter'.

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap
Before submitting your thesis, check the settings to ensure the margins are correct.
Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a common meaning of 'printer'?

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, in modern standard English, 'printer' is exclusively a noun. The verb is 'to print'.

A 'printer' (device) is typically for digital, small-scale output (e.g., from a computer). A 'printing press' is a large, traditional machine for mass-producing newspapers, books, etc. A person who runs a press can also be called a 'printer'.

Yes, in computing. Your operating system sees a 'printer' as a combination of the software driver and the physical device. You can add a 'PDF printer' which is purely software that creates PDF files instead of paper output.

Use polite requests: 'Could I print a page on your printer, please?' or 'Would you mind if I used your printer for a moment?' Avoid the incorrect 'Can I printer this?'

Collections

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Technology Basics

A2 · 48 words · Everyday technology and digital devices.

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Related Words

laser printer