Fingerprints, the unique skin patterns on fingertips, have several synonyms. Among them are thumbprints, palm prints, fingerprint impressions, and fingerprint patterns. Other terms that describe this human physiological characteristic include dactylograms, dermatoglyphics, and dactilograms. Each synonym has a slightly different connotation or usage context, but all refer to the distinctive ridge patterns on the fingertips that law enforcement agencies and forensic scientists use to identify individuals. The term "fingerprints" is the most commonly used and recognized, but these alternative terms offer more options to describe this important forensic tool.