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paper

/ˈpeɪ̯.pəɹ/
nounadjectiveverb

PAPER is a five-letter word for writing material or a document; it scores 9 points in Scrabble and is a Wordle answer.

NWL Collins ENABLE Wordle answer list

Noun 4 meanings

  1. A sheet material typically used for writing on or printing on (or as a non-waterproof container), usually made by draining cellulose fibres from a suspension in water.

    “Draw on the paper! Not on the walls!”

  2. An open hand (a handshape resembling a sheet of paper), that beats rock and loses to scissors. It loses to lizard and beats Spock in rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock.

  3. A written document, generally shorter than a book; usually written as a school assignment or a government report.

    “Near-synonym: report”

  4. A written document that reports scientific or academic research and is usually subjected to peer review before publication in a scientific journal (as a journal article or the manuscript for one) or in the proceedings of a scientific or academic meeting (such as a conference, workshop, or symposium).

    “Their team published a paper in the leading journal of their field, and its widespread impact elevated the reputation of their university department.”

Adjective 4 meanings

  1. Made of paper.

  2. Insubstantial (from the weakness of common paper).

    “paper gangster”

  3. Planned (from plans being drawn up on paper).

    “paper engine, rocket”

  4. Having a title that is merely official, or given by courtesy or convention.

Verb 4 meanings

  1. To apply paper to.

    “to paper the hallway walls”

  2. To document; to memorialize.

    “After they reached an agreement, their staffs papered it up.”

  3. To fill (a theatre or other paid event) with complimentary seats.

  4. To submit official papers to (a law court, etc.).

Definitions: Wiktionary (CC BY-SA) via Kaikki/Wiktextract

Where it comes from

Etymology

From Middle English paper, from Anglo-Norman paper, from Old Catalan paper, borrowed from Latin papȳrus (and given the Catalan suffix -er), from Ancient Greek πάπυρος (pápuros).

PAPER has two familiar meanings: the sheet used for writing or printing, and a written document such as a school assignment or report. Its repeated P gives it more Scrabble value than the other letters combined. The word is common, and it is accepted in Collins, NWL2023, and ENABLE.

PAPER at a glance

  • PAPER has five letters and scores 9 Scrabble points.
  • Its letter values are P 3, A 1, P 3, E 1, and R 1.
  • PAPER is both an accepted Wordle answer and an allowed guess.
  • RAPPE is its only anagram; piper and taper are one-letter neighbours.

What does PAPER mean?

PAPER most often means a thin sheet made for writing or printing. It can also mean a written document, including a school assignment or a government report. Those everyday senses make PAPER a familiar five-letter entry rather than an obscure play.

In rock-paper-scissors, paper is the open-hand shape that beats rock and loses to scissors. The same handshape also appears in the expanded rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock game, where it beats Spock and loses to lizard. PAPER ranks 873rd in word frequency, with a count of 62,166.

How does PAPER score in word games?

PAPER scores 9 points before board bonuses in Scrabble: each P is worth 3, while A, E, and R are worth 1 apiece. The pair of P tiles supplies 6 of those points, so placing one on a premium letter square is the scoring detail to watch.

PAPER is a valid Wordle answer and guess, but its repeated P means it tests fewer distinct letters than a five-letter word with no repeats. For a spelling clue, the word has one anagram, RAPPE, and 16 one-letter neighbours, including piper, taper, payer, and caper. Check your game's word list before playing less familiar neighbours.

Rhymes with paper

All rhymes

One letter away

Change one letter, keep the rest
  • PIPER9
  • TAPER7
  • PAYER10
  • PALER7
  • CAPER9
  • PACER9
  • PAGER8
  • PATER7
  • RAPER7
  • PAVER10
  • VAPER10
  • PAPES9
  • PARER7
  • GAPER8
  • PAWER10
  • JAPER14

Questions people ask

How many points is PAPER worth in Scrabble?
PAPER is worth 9 points in Scrabble before any board bonuses. The two P tiles contribute 6 points together, while A, E, and R add 1 point each. A premium square under either P changes the total most.
Is PAPER a Wordle answer?
Yes, PAPER is accepted as a Wordle answer and as a legal guess. Its repeated P can confirm a duplicate-letter pattern, but the word checks only four distinct letters: P, A, E, and R.
What is an anagram of PAPER?
RAPPE is the one anagram of PAPER. It rearranges the same five letters, including both P tiles. Check your game's dictionary before using it, since accepted words can differ between word lists.

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