Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
overprinting

overprinting

6.8
The process of putting one layer of ink on top of another, for example on paper money or maps
  • noun
  • /ˌoʊvərˈprɪntɪŋ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sobrerreimpresión
  • This increase predictably set off "the first recorded monetary crisis attributed to the overprinting of money" (Goetzmann and Koll 2005, 103).

Examples

  • As for real costs, there are warehousing costs, overprinting costs, retrieval costs, shipping costs, and so forth.

    Blog text (34)

  • Silver and gold have unlimited upside potential because the US dollar has unlimited downside potential from massive overprinting.

    Blog text (4)

  • The overprinting of ink on the poster created a vibrant and unique design.

  • Geologists studied the overprinting of mineral layers to understand the area's geological history.

  • The artist used overprinting techniques to layer colors and achieve depth in her paintings.

Surface Forms

overprinting singular
overprintings plural

Morphology

overprinting = overprint (transparent) = over + print + ing

The verb 'overprint' is a clear combination of 'over' + 'print', so forming the noun 'overprinting' by adding '-ing' is a straightforward nominalization.

Etymology

Overprinting comes from the parts over- meaning 'on top' and print meaning 'to make letters or pictures with ink'. So to overprint is to 'print on top' of an earlier layer, like adding a new color on a poster or extra marks on a banknote or map, which is why the word is used in both printing and geology.