facsimile

Exact copy or reproduction. The term is used particularly when referring to copies of artwork or printed material. The most common method of facsimile is the electronic transmission of images or text (collectively known as faxes), traditionally along telephone lines using a fax machine.

Printing is essentially a form of facsimile because an image or text can be reproduced over and over again. A print is a shape or mark that is made from a plate or block which has been covered with wet colour, usually ink, and pressed into a surface, such as paper. There is a huge range of printing methods, including engraving, etching, linoleum cut, and lithography. However, with these techniques, unlike modern electronic means of photocopying and faxing, it is difficult to control the outcome of the print absolutely and to guarantee that it is an exact replica (facsimile) of the original.