古フランス語のpreinte(押す)から、ラテン語のpremere(押す、プレスする)から、語源的にはpress.-t(過去分詞格)から。print、印刷から派生。
He always prints, I know, 'cos he learnt writin' from the large bills in the bookin' offices. [Charles Dickens, "Pickwick Papers," 1837]The meaning "to record (someone's) fingerprints" is from 1952. Related: Printed; printing.