Standard Lemma guide

blueprint

noun · verb · 9 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • blo͞o'prĭnt"
  • /ˈbluːˌpɹɪnt/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɪnt
  • CMU ARPABET: B L UW1 P R IH2 N T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A type of paper-based reproduction process producing white-on-blue images by means of a photosensitive ferric compound, used primarily for technical and architecture's drawings, now largely replaced by other technologies.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A print produced with this process.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A detailed technical drawing (now often in some electronically storable and transmissible form).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

Topics: architecture, engineering, natural-sciences, physical-sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Any detailed plan, whether literal or figurative.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, informal

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

verb

Meaning 5

To make a blueprint for.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • The architect blueprinted the renovation plan once the client had signed off.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To make a detailed operational plan for; to design or plan out.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively, transitive

Examples

  • They blueprinted every aspect of the first phase of the operation.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

photographic print of plans or technical drawings etc.

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: photograph, photo, exposure, picture, pic

8

noun

Meaning 8

something intended as a guide for making something else

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a blueprint for a house
  • a pattern for a skirt

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: design, pattern

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: plan, program, programme

9

verb

Meaning 9

make a blueprint of

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: draft, draught

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: design, plan

History

Etymology

From blue + print. Introduced by Sir John Herschel in 1842.

Across languages

Translations

106 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: cyanotypie — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Finnish: sinikopiointi — cyanotype reproduction process
  • French: cyanotype — cyanotype reproduction process
  • German: Diazotypie — cyanotype reproduction process
  • German: Blaupause — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Greek: κυανοτυπία (kyanotypía) — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Italian: cianotipia — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Japanese: 青写真 (aojashin) — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Korean: 청사진 (cheongsajin) — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Marathi: ब्ल्यूप्रिंट (blyūpriṇṭa) — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Norwegian Bokmål: blåkopi — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Polish: światłodruk — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Polish: fototypia — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Polish: collotypia — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Polish: albertotypia — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Portuguese: cianotipo — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Russian: диазоти́пия (diazotípija) — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Russian: диазогра́фия (diazográfija) — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Sicilian: cianutipìa — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Spanish: cianotipia — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Thai: พิมพ์เขียว (pim-kǐao) — cyanotype reproduction process
  • Arabic: مُخَطَّط (muḵaṭṭaṭ) — print produced by this process
  • Chinese Mandarin: 藍圖 /蓝图 (lántú) — print produced by this process
  • Dutch: blauwdruk — print produced by this process
  • Finnish: sinikopio — print produced by this process
  • German: Blaupause — print produced by this process
  • German: Lichtpause — print produced by this process
  • Greek: κυανοτυπία (kyanotypía) — print produced by this process
  • Italian: cianotipo — print produced by this process
  • Japanese: 青写真 (aojashin) — print produced by this process
  • Japanese: 青図 (aozu) — print produced by this process
  • Korean: 청사진 (cheongsajin) — print produced by this process
  • Kyrgyz: светокопия (svetokopiya) — print produced by this process
  • Marathi: ब्ल्यूप्रिंट (blyūpriṇṭa) — print produced by this process
  • Polish: światłodruk — print produced by this process
  • Polish: fototypia — print produced by this process
  • Polish: collotypia — print produced by this process
  • Polish: albertotypia — print produced by this process
  • Romanian: copie de plan — print produced by this process
  • Russian: светоко́пия (svetokópija) — print produced by this process
  • Russian: си́нька (sínʹka) — print produced by this process
  • Sicilian: cianutipu — print produced by this process
  • Spanish: cianotipo — print produced by this process
  • Swedish: blåkopia — print produced by this process
  • Thai: พิมพ์เขียว (pim-kǐao) — print produced by this process
  • Turkish: mavi kopya — print produced by this process
  • Turkish: ozalit kopya — print produced by this process
  • Chinese Mandarin: 設計圖 /设计图 (shèjìtú) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Chinese Mandarin: 大樣 /大样 (dàyàng) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Danish: plan — any detailed technical drawing
  • Dutch: (technisch) plan — any detailed technical drawing
  • Finnish: piirustus — any detailed technical drawing
  • Finnish: piirustukset — any detailed technical drawing
  • French: blueprint — any detailed technical drawing
  • German: Entwurf — any detailed technical drawing
  • Greek: σχεδιάγραμμα (schediágramma) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Greek: πρότυπο (prótypo) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Greek: προσχέδιο (proschédio) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Hungarian: tervrajz — any detailed technical drawing
  • Italian: progetto — any detailed technical drawing
  • Japanese: 青写真 (aojashin) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Japanese: 設計図 (sekkeizu) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Korean: 설계도 (seolgyedo) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Korean: 청사진 (cheongsajin) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Kyrgyz: план (plan) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Malay: cetakan biru — any detailed technical drawing
  • Marathi: ब्ल्यूप्रिंट (blyūpriṇṭa) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Polish: plan — any detailed technical drawing
  • Polish: schemat — any detailed technical drawing
  • Polish: projekt — any detailed technical drawing
  • Portuguese: planta — any detailed technical drawing
  • Portuguese: projeto — any detailed technical drawing
  • Romanian: schiță — any detailed technical drawing
  • Romanian: plan — any detailed technical drawing
  • Russian: план (plan) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Russian: прое́кт (projékt) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Russian: чертёж (čertjóž) — any detailed technical drawing
  • Spanish: copia de plano — any detailed technical drawing
  • Spanish: plano — any detailed technical drawing
  • Turkish: dizayn — any detailed technical drawing
  • Turkish: tasarım — any detailed technical drawing
  • Chinese Mandarin: 計劃 /计划 (jìhuà) — any detailed plan of action
  • Chinese Mandarin: 藍圖 /蓝图 (lántú) — any detailed plan of action
  • Danish: plan — any detailed plan of action
  • Dutch: plan — any detailed plan of action
  • Finnish: suunnitelma — any detailed plan of action
  • Finnish: toimintasuunnitelma — any detailed plan of action
  • German: Plan — any detailed plan of action
  • German: Blaupause — any detailed plan of action
  • Hungarian: tervezet — any detailed plan of action
  • Japanese: 青写真 (aojashin) — any detailed plan of action
  • Japanese: 計画 (keikaku) — any detailed plan of action
  • Korean: 계획 (gyehoek) — any detailed plan of action
  • Kyrgyz: план (plan) — any detailed plan of action
  • Polish: plan — any detailed plan of action
  • Polish: strategia — any detailed plan of action
  • Russian: план (plan) — any detailed plan of action
  • Russian: прое́кт (projékt) — any detailed plan of action
  • Spanish: hoja de ruta — any detailed plan of action
  • Turkish: plan — any detailed plan of action
  • Finnish: sinikopioida — to make a blueprint for
  • Polish: projektować — to make a blueprint for
  • Polish: zaprojektować — to make a blueprint for
  • Finnish: suunnitella — to make a detailed operational plan for
  • Polish: projektować — to make a detailed operational plan for
  • Polish: zaprojektować — to make a detailed operational plan for
Real reading context

blueprint in complete knowledge articles