ink

1 of 2

noun

ˈiŋk 

often attributive

1

: a colored usually liquid material for writing and printing

2

: the black protective secretion of a cephalopod

3

slang : publicity sense 2d

4

informal : one or more tattoos on a person's body

Whether or not it's your cup of meat, the proliferation of body-art mags suggests that a slew of folks have ink, and they didn't get it from reading the newspaper.

—Albert Mobilio

inkiness

ˈiŋ-kē-nəs 

noun

inky

ˈiŋ-kē 

adjective

ink

2 of 2

verb

inked; inking; inks

transitive verb

1

a

: to put ink on

ink a pen

ink a printing block

b

: to draw or write in ink

ink a design

—often used with in

carefully inked in the letters

c

: to obliterate with ink

—usually used with out

inked out many lines

2

US, informal

a

: to affix one's signature to : sign sense 2a

an athlete who has inked a new contract

b

: to engage or hire by securing the signature of (someone) on a contract : sign sense 4

… has been inked to do the part of a judge in an HBO special …

—Marge Crumbaker

3

informal : tattoo

… got himself an elaborate tattoo, his first, inked along his right shoulder …

—S. L. Price

Kaufman plans on inking a tat to memorialize his accident.

—Micah Abrams

His heavily muscled arms are inked shoulder to wrist.

—Eve Conant

Synonyms

Verb

• autograph
• sign
• subscribe

Examples of ink in a Sentence

Noun

Fill out the form using blue or black ink.

The printer is out of ink.

We're using four different inks for this poster.

Verb

They just inked a new partnership agreement.

the basketball star just inked a two-year contract with the most celebrated franchise in the NBA

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Likewise, today’s AI killjoys are clinging desperately to the bygone past, to the days when telephones had round dials and thick curly cords and were just for talking (gag!), and when students wrote essays in longhand, in ink, on sheets of paper. —Douglas Hofstadter, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2024

The bottom line: With tattoos in Houston as little as $20 (or free, if corporate sponsorship is your thing), now is your perfect chance to dip into the ink pool or add to your collection. —Jay R. Jordan, Axios, 12 Sep. 2024

Verb

The airline has inked a deal with SpaceX to bring Starlink connectivity to its entire fleet. —Roger Dooley, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024

Though a premiere date is being kept under wraps, the veteran comic has inked a deal for her next hour of standup. —Lacey Rose, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English enke, from Anglo-French encre, enke, from Late Latin encaustum, from neuter of Latin encaustus burned in, from Greek enkaustos, verbal of enkaiein to burn in — more at encaustic

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1562, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ink

• drowning/awash in red ink
• india ink
• Indian ink
• ink blot
• ink in
• ink-jet
• ink-jet printer
• ink pad
• invisible ink
• red ink

Kids Definition

ink

1 of 2 noun

ˈiŋk 

1

: a usually liquid material for writing or printing

2

: the black protective secretion of a cephalopod

ink

2 of 2 verb

1

: to put ink on

2

: to write or draw in ink

inker noun