dactilar
“dactilar” means “fingerprint” in Spanish (when describing identification patterns).
fingerprint
Also: finger-related
📝 In Action
El teléfono tiene un lector de huella dactilar.
A2The phone has a fingerprint reader.
La policía encontró una impresión dactilar en el cristal.
B1The police found a fingerprint impression on the glass.
Los rasgos dactilares son únicos para cada individuo.
C1Fingerprint features are unique to every individual.
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: dactilar
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is the most common use of 'dactilar'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'dactylus', which comes from the Greek 'daktylos', meaning 'finger'. This is the same root used for the dinosaur 'Pterodactyl' (meaning finger-wing)!
First recorded: 19th century (in formal scientific use)
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use 'dactilar' for toes too?
Technically, 'dactilar' refers to digits (fingers or toes), but in practice, 99% of the time it refers specifically to fingers. For toes, people usually just say 'de los pies'.
Is it a very formal word?
It is slightly more formal than just saying 'del dedo', but it's very common in everyday tech talk because of phone security.
How do I say 'fingerprint' simply?
The most natural and common way is 'huella dactilar'.