Printing is the process of transferring words or images onto paper or other surfaces, usually by making many identical copies. When you push the print button on a computer, a printer uses ink or toner to create a copy of what's on the screen. When publishers print books, massive machines produce thousands of identical copies from a single original.

Before printing was invented, every book had to be copied by hand, one at a time. A single book might take months to copy, making books rare and expensive. In the 1440s, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press, which used movable metal letters that could be arranged, inked, and pressed onto paper. This invention transformed human civilization. Suddenly, books became affordable and widely available. Ideas could spread quickly across continents. Scientists could share discoveries, and more people learned to read because printed books became common.

Today, printing happens everywhere: newspapers roll off giant presses, photographs come out of home printers, and T-shirt designs get printed onto fabric. The word can also mean letters or words formed carefully by hand, like when a teacher asks you to print your name clearly instead of using cursive.