plural papyri
pəˈpaɪri 
or papyruses
or papyruses
1
: a tall plant that is like grass and that grows in marshes especially in Egypt
2
a
: paper made from papyrus that was used in ancient times
an ancient text written on papyrus
a roll/scroll of papyrus
a papyrus scroll
b
: a piece of paper made from papyrus that has writing on it
He discovered a papyrus in the ruins.
Cite this Entry
“Papyrus.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/papyrus. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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