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clipboard

American  
[klip-bawrd, -bohrd] / ˈklɪpˌbɔrd, -ˌboʊrd /

noun

  1. a small board having at the top a clip for holding papers and serving as a portable writing surface.


clipboard British  
/ ˈklɪpˌbɔːd /

noun

  1. a portable writing board with a spring clip at the top for holding paper

  2. a temporary storage area in desktop publishing where text or graphics are held after the cut command or the copy command

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of clipboard

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10; clip 2 + board

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026

Clipboard in hand, van Schalkwyk has an easy rapport with the kids as he leads them through batting and bowling in netted-off lanes.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 2, 2023

Clipboard in hand, Daria Ripa, a registry officiant for the better part of a decade, corralled the waiting couples, offering up admonition and instruction.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 17, 2022

SwiftKey’s support page also notes that the Cloud Clipboard will only save the last piece of text you’ve copied and will automatically delete the clip after one hour.

From The Verge • Nov. 2, 2021

Clipboard pressed to her hip, the woman cried, “Why would anyone do such a thing?”

From The New Yorker • Sep. 16, 2019