imprimantur

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UK/ɪm.pɹɪˈmæn.tʊə/US/ɪm.pɹɪˈmæn.tʊɹ/

A form of imprimatur — An official license to publish or print something, especially when censorship applies.

Scrabble 17

Meanings

noun
  1. pluralrareplural of imprimatur

    …imprimantur; and when printed but for half an hour, yet, without boasting…

    2005, William Cowper, The Works of William Cowper: His Life, Letters and Poems, page 140
    4 more examples

    Then thus we sum up our affairs: That, notwithstanding former airs, The most I seriously would hope, Is, just to read the words, A Pope, Writ, without sneer, or shew of banter, Beneath your friendly Imprimantur.

    1738, John Bancks, The Author’s Picture. A fourth Epistle to Mr. Pope., 14th verse, lines 7-12

    …among other pleasing circumstances, let our constant correspondent the indefatigable Mr. Ring, derive an unmixed gratification from learning that his writings, together with those of the Society in which he incessantly labours, receive the imprimantur of the Physician General at Madras.

    ? (1799–1833): J. Souter et alii, The London Medical and Physical Journal, p381

    You are perfectly at liberty to deal with them as you please. Auctore tantum anonymo, imprimantur; and when printed, send me a copy⁴¹.

    1836, William Cowper, Robert Southey, The Works of William Cowper, Esq., Comprising His Poems, Correspondence and Translations. With a Life of the Author, page 38

    …any literature touching upon it is to be condignly abolished Imprimantur, the revised New Testament, the ‘Lamplighter’, and the tracts of Christian knowledge.

    1891, Robert Williams Buchanan, The Coming Terror and Other Essays and Letters, page 108

Origin

  1. Latinimprimantur“let them be printed”
  2. Englishimprimantur

From Latin imprimantur (“let them be printed”), third-person plural present subjunctive passive form of imprimere (“to print”).

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

imprimantur. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/imprimantur

MLA

“imprimantur.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/imprimantur. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “imprimantur,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/imprimantur.

Source: imprimantur on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.