dot matrix printer
1
5.7
- noun
- /dɑt ˈmeɪtrɪks ˈprɪntər/
- Archaic
:
impresora de matriz de puntos
- The basic paradigm for printing holds for nearly every computing operating system, and it allows print jobs to be printed successfully on devices from low-end dot matrix printers to high-end laser printers, which testifies to its flexibility.
Examples
-
My most expensive possessions were an old Apple II computer and a dot-matrix printer.
Fiction book (1997) -
This is much more akin to a dot matrix printer, by which I'm saying Spot is still way early on in his development.
-
But people said the same thing when the first dot matrix printers came on the market.
Blog text (28) -
On the technology front, when was the last time you heard a dot matrix printer?
Blog text (34) -
Do not use a dot-matrix printer or any printer that is not working properly.
Academic text (1998) -
I had bought a dot matrix printer with that Radio Shack desktop.
Blog text (19) -
Dot matrix printers such as Apple ImageWriter II, IBM ProPrinter, or Tandy DMP could also be used.
Academic text (1991) -
The old bookstore still uses a dot matrix printer to print receipts for its customers.
-
Many businesses relied on a dot matrix printer for printing invoices in the 1990s.
-
Despite the rise of modern printers, a dot matrix printer can be useful for printing multiple copies at once.
Synonyms
1
4.5
A machine that makes letters and pictures on paper using dots
A machine that prints characters and pictures by making patterns of dots
A machine that prints letters and numbers as small dots using thin wires that hit an ink ribbon
A printer that makes letters from dots by striking paper with thin metal wires
How Clear
- Specialized
1
3.1
6
3.4
- Specialized
6
3.3
- Archaic
1
5.7
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is transparently compositional: 'dot' + 'matrix' describes the printing method (patterns of tiny dots arranged in a matrix) and 'printer' names the device, so the overall meaning is directly inferable. This follows a common noun-modifier pattern found across languages and should be understandable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Dot matrix printer comes from how it prints: it makes letters and pictures from tiny dots placed in a regular grid called a matrix. So the name shows that the machine builds images from many small dots, which is why its printing looks like little dots rather than smooth ink.