Papers

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈpeɪpɚz/

Definitions

1. Thin sheets used for writing, printing, or drawing ; publications containing news, articles, or announcements ; documents that prove identity or legal status
2. Flat material typically made from wood pulp for recording information ; printed media providing daily or periodic news and reports ; formal papers that certify or authorize something
3. Material used to write or print on for various purposes ; periodicals issued regularly to inform the public ; official paperwork such as licenses, permits, or academic certificates

Etymology: Papyrus, the reed whose pith was pressed into sheets for writing, is where the story starts. The ancient Greeks called it "pápuros," and the Romans borrowed it as "papȳrus." Because the Egyptian-grown material was the standard writing surface of the Mediterranean world, its name came to mean the writing surface itself, and the same root stayed attached to the thing it described even after it was no longer made from papyrus at all. The word passed through Old Catalan as "paper," with a Catalan suffix added to the Latin form, and reached English through Anglo-Norman. It appeared in Middle English in that form, and "papers" is simply its plural, used for many sheets, for documents, and eventually for newspapers.

Synonyms: documents, articles, reports