Meanings
- uncountableThe production of a sketch of a criminal from available information, often specifically DNA.
For over a year, Britain's Forensic Science Service (FSS) has employed what the agency terms "DNA photofitting," in which the genetic markers in the suspect's DNA found at a crime site are compared against a database of DNA markers.
2004, Vincent Sarich, Frank Miele, Race: The Reality of Human Differences, page 221 more example
The practice of rendering appearance from forensic samples is called “Forensic DNA Phenotyping” (FDP) or “molecular photofitting,” and there are a handful of scientists and companies around the world trying to make this not only scientifically possible, but also a useful law enforcement tool.
2015 June 27, Imp Kerr, “Sci-Fi Crime Drama With A Strong Black Lead”, in The New Inquiry
Origin
From photo + fitting or photofit + -ing.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
photofitting. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photofitting
“photofitting.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photofitting. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “photofitting,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/photofitting.
Source: photofitting on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.