Main Entry: ¹pa·per

Pronunciation: \ˈpā-pər\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English papir, from Anglo-French, from Latin papyrus papyrus, paper, from Greek papyros papyrus

Date: 14th century

1 a (1) : a felted sheet of usually vegetable fibers laid down on a fine screen from a water suspension (2) : a similar sheet of other material (as plastic) b : a piece of paper
2 a : a piece of paper containing a written or printed statement : document <pedigree papers> b : a piece of paper containing writing or print c : a formal written composition often designed for publication and often intended to be read aloud <presented a scholarly paper at the meeting> d : a piece of written schoolwork
3 : a paper container or wrapper
4 : newspaper
5 : the negotiable notes or instruments of commerce
6 : wallpaper
7 : tickets; especially : free passes
8 : paperback

— on paper 1 : in writing <wants these promises on paper>
2 : in theory <the plan looks good on paper>
3 : figured at face value <on paper the stock was worth nearly a million dollars>