paper

Pronunciation

• IPA: UK /ˈpeɪ.pə/, US /ˈpeɪ.pɚ/^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English paper, also papir,^[2][3] borrowed from Anglo-Norman papir and Old French papier “paper, document”,^[4][2][3] from Latin papȳrus (“papyrus plant; paper made from it”),^[4][5] from Ancient Greek πάπυρος (pápuros, “any plant of the papyrus genus”),^[4][6][5] a loanword of unknown origin, often said to be Egyptian.^[4] Word Origins notes that papyrus was taken directly from Latin, first as the name of the reed in Middle English and only in the 18th century for the writing material.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The writing material: 1341–2 in the OED,^[8] 1364 in Barnhart,^[2] or the mid-14th century.^[4] Paper bearing writing, written documents, is from 1386.^[8]

Semantic evolution

A newspaper is a paper from the 1640s^[4] or 1642.^[2] An essay or dissertation is from the 1660s,^[4] and papers, documents establishing one's identity or standing, from the 1680s.^[4] Paper money is from the 1690s,^[4] and bills of exchange are paper by 1722.^[4] Wallpaper is from 1764.^[4] The verb, “to write down on paper”, is from 1594;^[8][4] “to decorate a room with paper” is from 1774,^[4][8] and paper over, “to conceal temporarily”, from 1955.^[8][4] The adjective, “made of paper”, is from the 1590s,^[4] and “existing only on paper, flimsy” from 1716.^[4] Paper tiger (1952) translates a Chinese phrase popularized by Mao Zedong.^[4] Paper clip is by 1875.^[4] A set of examination questions is from the 19th century.^[9]

Timeline

• 1341–2 – the writing material.^[8]
• 1386 – written documents.^[8]
• 1594 – verb, to write down.^[8]
• 1642 – a newspaper.^[2]
• 1660s – an essay.^[4]
• 1690s – paper money.^[4]
• 1764 – wallpaper.^[4]
• 1875 – paper clip.^[4]
• 1952 – paper tiger.^[4]
• 1955 – paper over.^[8]

Modern meaning

Noun

1. A thin material made from cellulose pulp, used for writing, printing, wrapping and covering walls.
2. A sheet of this material, or a written document.
3. A newspaper.
4. An essay or scholarly article.
5. (plural) Documents proving identity or status.
6. A set of examination questions.
7. Paper money or commercial paper.

Verb

1. To cover with paper or wallpaper.
2. To conceal a problem: to paper over the cracks.

Adjective

1. Made of paper.
2. Existing only on paper; theoretical or flimsy.

Word family

• paperer
• paperless
• paperlike
• paper tiger

Related words

• papyrus
• paper over
• paperback
• newspaper
• wallpaper
• bible

References

1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
2. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
3. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (2000), 4th ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
6. ^ Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
7. ^ Cresswell, Julia (2021), Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins, 3rd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
9. ^ Hoad, T. F., ed. (1986), The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, Oxford: Clarendon Press