Etymology From Middle English paper, from Anglo-Norman paper, from Old Catalan paper, borrowed from Latin papȳrus (and given the Catalan suffix -er), from Ancient Greek πάπυρος (pápuros).
A sheet material typically used for writing on or printing on (or as a non-waterproof container), usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.
Draw on the paper! Not on the walls!
The paper mill on the south side of town makes various grades of paper and employs hundreds of people.
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He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own.1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter X, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC:
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Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of newspaper; anything used as such (such as a newsletter or listing magazine).
Read all about it in this morning's paper!
In those days, the Reporter Dispatch was the paper of record around here, and everyone who was anyone took the paper [was a subscriber].
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"I don't want to spoil any comparison you are going to make," said Jim, "but I was at Winchester and New College." ¶ "That will do," said Mackenzie. "I was dragged up at the workhouse school till I was twelve. Then I ran away and sold papers in the streets, and anything else that I could pick up a few coppers by—except steal.[…]."1909 September 9, Archibald Marshall [pseudonym; Arthur Hammond Marshall], chapter II, in The Squire’s Daughter, London: Methuen & Co. […], →OCLC:
“Anthea hasn't a notion in her head but to vamp a lot of silly mugwumps. She's set her heart on that tennis bloke[…]whom the papers are making such a fuss about.”1935, George Goodchild, chapter 1, in Death on the Centre Court:
However, Anyon Kay remembers a Mr Walton Ainsworth, of Beech House, Rivington, who owned mills in Bolton, being a regular user before the First World War. He used to drive by horse and trap from his mansion to catch the 0906 train to Bolton each day. Before arriving at the station, local newsagent Tom Dutton would hand Mr Ainsworth his morning paper!2023 March 8, Paul Salveson, “Fond farewells to two final trains...”, in RAIL, number 978, page 54:
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Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of wallpaper.
The paperhangers had just finished hanging the paper in the dining room when the interior decorator walked in and exclaimed that it was the wrong color.
There was a neat hat-and-umbrella stand, and the stranger's weary feet fell soft on a good, serviceable dark-red drugget, which matched in colour the flock-paper on the walls.1913, Mrs. [Marie] Belloc Lowndes, chapter II, in The Lodger, London: Methuen, →OCLC; republished in Novels of Mystery: The Lodger; The Story of Ivy; What Really Happened, New York, N.Y.: Longmans, Green and Co., […], [1933], →OCLC, page 0091:
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Abbreviation, Ellipsis Ellipsis of wrapping paper.
In those days, you asked the butcher for a block of cheese, and he wrapped it up in paper for you.
The kids could hardly wait to tear the paper off their Christmas gifts.
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Games, Rock paper scissors An open hand (a handshape resembling a sheet of paper), that beats rock and loses to scissors. It loses to lizard and beats Spock in rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock.
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A written document, generally shorter than a book; usually written as a school assignment or a government report.
Near-synonym: report
I can't go out tonight. I have a paper due tomorrow, and I need to finish it tonight.
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A written document that reports scientific or academic research and is usually subjected to peer review before publication in a scientific journal (as a journal article or the manuscript for one) or in the proceedings of a scientific or academic meeting (such as a conference, workshop, or symposium).
Their team published a paper in the leading journal of their field, and its widespread impact elevated the reputation of their university department.
This paper surveys the research methods and approaches used in the multidisciplinary field of applied language studies or language education over the last fourty^([sic]) years. Drawing on insights gained in psycho- and sociolinguistics, educational linguistics and linguistic anthropology with regard to language and culture, it is organized around five major questions that concern language educators.2014 January 23, Claire Kramsch, “Language and Culture”, in AILA Review, volume 27, number 5, John Benjamins, →DOI, →ISSN, page 30:
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Paper after paper spells out how vulnerable we are to internet-induced brain rot. “High levels of internet usage and heavy media multitasking are associated with decreased grey matter in prefrontal regions,” finds one.2024 December 9, Siân Boyle, “Is doom scrolling really rotting our brains? The evidence is getting harder to ignore”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 26 Feb 2026:
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Hong Kong, UK A set of examination questions to be answered at one session.
Business, Finance Any financial assets other than specie, including paper money, commercial paper, and others.
Why might not a Government annuity, the Principal of which was originally invested in Paper since the Cash suspension in 1797, be constituted the guarantee of Paper Money, emendating from that investiture and suspension, and the Parliament authority transferred to its security, as it has been to its creation, in preference to all others, while Paper continues our general Medium.1812, William Major, Theory of Money and Exchanges, page XV:
That great, rich institution,[…]has three millions and a half specie in its vaults, and nearly six millions invested in paper, loans, discounts, pledges—suddenly turned up the other day[…].1859, The Bankers' Magazine, and Statistical Register, volume 14, page 244:
She's taking four papers this semester: two in psychology and two in sociology.
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A candidate who has taken or is taking a paper for any particular unit will not (except in the case of a change of syllabus) be permitted to take the same paper, or a more elementary paper, for any other unit.1969, University of Auckland, Calendar:
She continued her university studies by taking a paper in psychology, which was taught principally by John Money, a strikingly handsome young junior lecturer.2002, Michael King, An Inward Sun: The World of Janet Frame, Penguin Books (New Zealand):
In 1938 he passed the final paper (in psychology) needed to complete his BA degree.2017 September 29, Terry Sturm, Simply by Sailing in a New Direction: Allen Curnow: A Biography, Auckland University Press, →ISBN:
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A paper packet containing a quantity of items.
a paper of pins, tacks, opium, etc.
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A medicinal preparation spread upon paper, intended for external application.
cantharides paper
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A substance resembling paper secreted by certain invertebrates as protection for their nests and eggs.
Etymology From Middle English paper, from Anglo-Norman paper, from Old Catalan paper, borrowed from Latin papȳrus (and given the Catalan suffix -er), from Ancient Greek πάπυρος (pápuros).
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Made of paper.
At twilight in the summer[…]the mice come out. They[…]eat the luncheon crumbs. Mr. Checkly, for instance, always brought his dinner in a paper parcel in his coat-tail pocket, and ate it when so disposed, sprinkling crumbs lavishly[…]on the floor.1892, Walter Besant, chapter II, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:
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Insubstantial (from the weakness of common paper).
paper gangster
2016: Manila Standard, "Speed limiter law: A paper tiger"; Maricel Cruz Speed limiter law: A paper tiger
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2016: The Australian, "China says Australia ‘is no paper tiger, only a paper cat at best’"; Rowan Callick It concluded that Australia was “not even a paper tiger, it’s only a paper cat at best”
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Planned (from plans being drawn up on paper).
paper engine, rocket
"We have to be able to demonstrate that it is not just a paper engine but a real engine" and that development work has "mitigated all the risk"., Dominic Perr, “Airbus Helicopters to begin Arrano tests for H160 shortly”, in Flight Global, archived from the original on 26 Apr 2025:
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2015: CBS News, "ULA unveils new rocket to replace Russian boosters"; William Harwood In a background teleconference hosted by SpaceX late last week, an unnamed official dismissed ULA's new booster as a "paper rocket," saying he doubted it would be significantly cheaper than ULA's current stable of launchers.
2010: BBC News, "Pratt & Whitney eyes global plane engine deals"; Jorn Madslien Ours is not a paper engine... these are real engines that are in production today
"The Ares 1 is a paper rocket that's far off in the future," Musk said. "Falcon 9 is a real rocket, most of which is at Cape Canaveral right now."2010 January 19, Stephen Clark, “Musk refutes report slamming safety standards”, in Spaceflight Now, archived from the original on 08 Dec 2018:
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Having a title that is merely official, or given by courtesy or convention.
Etymology From Middle English paper, from Anglo-Norman paper, from Old Catalan paper, borrowed from Latin papȳrus (and given the Catalan suffix -er), from Ancient Greek πάπυρος (pápuros).
After they reached an agreement, their staffs papered it up.
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To fill (a theatre or other paid event) with complimentary seats.
Later, seat-filling or “papering” services cropped up, with organizations like Audience Extras, Play-by-Play,[…]2020 April 1, Kelly Kessler, Broadway in the Box: Television's Lasting Love Affair with the Musical, page 198:
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To submit official papers to (a law court, etc.).
As powerhouse lawyers shuttled to Cuba to meet clients and papered the federal courts with habeas corpus petitions, Guantanamo's isolation and lack of publicity, once the military's most powerful psychological weapon, was eliminated.2006, Drusilla Modjeska, The Best Australian Essays 2006:
[…] the warning received only six weeks later for poor attendance as proof that the employer was unjustly papering his personnel file in an effort to create a reason for discharge.2007, Thomas M. Hanna, The Employer's Legal Advisor: Handling Problem Employees Effectively ...:
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To give public notice (typically by displaying posters) that a person is wanted by the police or other authority.
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To sandpaper.
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To enfold in paper.
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To paste the endpapers and flyleaves at the beginning and end of a book before fitting it into its covers.
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Northeastern, US To cover someone's house with toilet paper. Otherwise known as toilet papering or TPing.