Which type of fingerprint is classified as latent?

Latent fingerprints are those that are not immediately visible to the naked eye, often requiring specific techniques to be made visible for examination. They are typically the result of the natural oils and sweat on the skin, which are transferred to surfaces. This makes them distinct from visible prints, which can be seen without enhancement, and plastic prints, which are formed when a finger makes an impression in a soft material such as wax or putty, creating a three-dimensional impression. The concept of inverted prints is not widely recognized in forensic terminology. Understanding that latent prints are hidden until developed or enhanced clarifies their nature and importance in fingerprint analysis.