Blueprint

//ˈbluːˌpɹɪnt// noun, verb, slang

noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 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.
  2. 2
    photographic print of plans or technical drawings etc. wordnet
  3. 3
    A print produced with this process.
  4. 4
    something intended as a guide for making something else wordnet
  5. 5
    A detailed technical drawing (now often in some electronically storable and transmissible form). broadly
Show 1 more definition
  1. 6
    Any detailed plan, whether literal or figurative. broadly, informal

    "Ain't got no blueprint, just a purpose and a wrecking ball!"

Verb
  1. 1
    To make a blueprint for. transitive

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

  2. 2
    make a blueprint of wordnet
  3. 3
    To make a detailed operational plan for; to design or plan out. figuratively, transitive

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

Example

More examples

"The spokesman explained the blueprint of the scheme to the press."

Etymology

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

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.