What does reprint mean?
To reprint something is to print it again, usually without changing its wording, although the term can also refer to issuing a fresh edition of an earlier publication. A reprint may be made from the original typesetting or digital files, from a scan of the earlier printing, or through reprinting plates or other production methods. The word is especially familiar in publishing, journalism, and academic contexts: a newspaper may reprint an article, while a publisher may bring a popular book back into print after it has gone out of stock. In the world of books, a reprint is generally distinguished from a first edition by its later printing or issue, even if the text remains unchanged. Because “reprint” can mean either the act of printing again or the resulting copy, its meaning depends somewhat on context, but it consistently conveys renewed circulation of previously published material.
To print something again, or to publish a new printed edition of an earlier work.
"The magazine reprinted the interview in its anniversary issue."
Often used in publishing and journalism; it may imply that the text is substantially unchanged.
A new printing or published edition of a work that has appeared before.
"The book is available now as a paperback reprint."
In bookselling and collecting, this generally means a later issue rather than a first edition.
The plural is used for separate new printings or editions of a previously published work.
"The publisher released several reprints of the classic novel."
A reprint is a second chance for a book to tell its story — often without rewriting a word.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reprint come from?
“Reprint” is formed in English by combining the prefix re-, meaning “again,” with print. The verb print derives through Middle English and Old French from Latin prehendere, meaning “to seize” or “to take hold of,” in the context of pressing or impressing a surface. The prefixed form became established as a word for producing another printed copy of an earlier work. Related English forms include printer and printing, while words such as imprint and blueprint extend the same broad printing tradition.
Related word forms
How reprint is actually used
The word is common in publishing and journalism and is generally neutral. In book collecting, it usually refers to a newly printed copy that is not the first edition, though publishers and booksellers may use the term more specifically.
Easily confused with reprint
Reprinting specifically means producing another printed copy or edition, whereas reissue can refer more broadly to making a work available again in any form or format.