The scientific study and analysis of fingerprints for identification purposes, commonly used in forensics and criminal investigations.
Coined from Greek 'daktylos' (finger) and 'skopeia' (examination), first systematically developed in the late 19th century as fingerprints were recognized as unique identifiers.
Sir William Herschel used fingerprints on documents in India as early as 1858, but it wasn't until the 1880s that Scotland Yard officially adopted fingerprinting, making it the world's first major law enforcement adoption of this revolutionary identification technique.
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