Bumph

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A set of printed materials, usually unsolicited, that are perceived as unnecessary clutter in various settings
2. Unwanted brochures and papers that accumulate in homes or offices, often seen as insignificant
3. A collection of promotional or informational papers that are often regarded as trivial or superfluous clutter in homes and workplaces

Etymology: "Bumph" is a shortened form of "bumf," which is itself a clipping of "bumfodder," a crude 19th-century British term for toilet paper. "Fodder" here carries its old sense of coarse material or stuffing, and "bum" is the familiar word for the buttocks, so the full compound is a plainly literal name for something used for wiping. The word's journey from lavatory to office desk is the surprising part. Over time the sense shifted from the physical paper itself to the printed matter that piled up in offices, much of it going straight to the bin, which is how "bumf" came to mean useless documents and leaflets. The shortened form "bumph" is an alternative spelling of the same word, and it carries the same mildly disparaging tone as the older term.

Synonyms: paperwork, documents

Antonyms: clarity, simplicity