paper

¹pa·per

noun \ˈpā-pər\

Definition of PAPER

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>

Examples of PAPER

1. We'll need pens, glue, and some paper.
2. Be sure to print the letter on good paper.
3. He scribbled the number on a scrap of paper.
4. a crumpled piece of paper
5. The border guards asked to see my papers.
6. They published a landmark paper in 1995.
7. The teacher was busy grading papers.
8. She did well on her history paper.

Origin of PAPER

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

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to PAPER

Synonyms

blank, document, form

Related Words

instrument, writ; filing; sheet

Other Paper Terms

folio, palimpsest, quire, ream

Rhymes with PAPER

aper, caper, draper, japer, raper, scraper, shaper, taper, vapor

²paper

verb

pa·peredpa·per·ing \ˈpā-p(ə-)riŋ\

Definition of PAPER

transitive verb

1

archaic : to put down or describe in writing

2

: to fold or enclose in paper

3

: to cover or line with paper; especially : to apply wallpaper to

4

: to fill by giving out free passes <paper the theater for opening night>

5

: to cover (an area) with advertising bills, circulars, or posters

intransitive verb

: to hang wallpaper

— pa·per·er \-pər-ər\ noun

First Known Use of PAPER

1594

³paper

adjective

Definition of PAPER

1

a : made of paper, cardboard, or papier-mâché <a paper bag>

b : papery

2

: of or relating to clerical work or written communication

3

: existing only in theory : nominal <a paper blockade>

4

: admitted by free passes <a paper audience>

5

: finished with a crisp smooth surface similar to that of paper <paper taffeta>

Examples of PAPER

1. Their accounts showed lots of paper profits, but they went bankrupt anyway.
2. <there's a paper boycott of that company's products that nobody seems to be honoring>

First Known Use of PAPER

1594

Related to PAPER

Synonyms

formal, nominal, titular

Related Words

so-called; phantom, virtual; apparent, assumed, evident, ostensible, presumed, seeming, supposed

Near Antonyms

actual, real, true

Other Paper Terms

folio, palimpsest, quire, ream

paper

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Matted or felted sheet, usually made of cellulose fibres, formed on a wire screen from water suspension. Source materials include wood pulp, rags, and recycled paper. The fibres are separated (by processes that may be mechanical, chemical, or both) and wetted to produce paper pulp, or stock. The pulp is filtered on a woven screen to form a sheet of fibre, which is pressed and compacted to squeeze out most of the water. The remaining water is removed by evaporation, and the dry sheet is further compressed and often (depending on the intended use) coated or infused with other substances. Types of paper in common use include bond paper, book paper, bristol (or bristol board), groundwood and newsprint, kraft paper, paperboard, and sanitary paper (for towels, napkins, etc.). See also calendering; Fourdrinier machine; kraft process.