paperwork English · revision 16146

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1577, Harrison}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈpeɪ.pɚˌwɝk/, /ˈpeɪ.pɚ.wɚk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound, [[af|en|paper|work]].^(OED 2026)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Work made of paper, structural or decorative, and also a literary work: 1577, in William Harrison's ''Description of Britain''.^(OED 2026) Etymonline dates "things made of paper" to the 1580s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In the 19th century it came to mean a student's written work (1845, now rare)^(OED 2026) and then routine clerical work with forms, letters and invoices, from 1861 in the OED;^(OED 2026) Etymonline dates work done on paper from 1889.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1577 – work made of paper.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1845 – a student's written work.^(OED 2026)

+ * 1861 – routine clerical work.^(OED 2026)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Routine office work that involves writing, filing and [[form|alt=forms]].^(AHD 2024)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}