blueprint

• blue print, blue-print

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

• enPR: blo͞o'prĭnt", IPA^(key): /ˈbluːˌpɹɪnt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪnt

blueprint (plural blueprints)

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. A print produced with this process.
3. (architecture, engineering, by extension) A detailed technical drawing (now often in some electronically storable and transmissible form).
4. (informal, by extension) Any detailed plan, whether literal or figurative.
   • 2018, Jhariah Clare, “City of Ashes”, in The Great Tale of How I Ruined it All:

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

   • 2020 December 2, Christian Wolmar, “Wales offers us a glimpse of an integrated transport strategy”, in Rail, page 56:

     This demonstrated serious intent, and the result is a report that should be a blueprint for subsequent assessments when road schemes are being put forward.

   • 2025 July 22, Kory Grow, “Ozzy Osbourne obituary: The Godfather of Heavy Metal who changed the world”, in Rolling Stone‎^[1]:

     As a member of Black Sabbath, he helped draft the blueprints for heavy metal, but in conversation, he was always humble about his contributions to music.

• (paper-based technical drawing): cyanotype, schematic
• (detailed technical drawing): schematic
• (informal): road map, schematic, plan, layout

blueprint (third-person singular simple present blueprints, present participle blueprinting, simple past and past participle blueprinted)

1. (transitive) To make a blueprint for.

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

2. (transitive, figuratively) To make a detailed operational plan for; to design or plan out.

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