folder

American  

[fohl-der] / ˈfoʊl dər /

noun

folders plural

1. a person or thing that folds.

2. a printed sheet, as a circular or timetable, folded into a number of usually pagelike sections.

3. a folded sheet of light cardboard used to cover or hold papers, letters, etc., as in a file.

4. Computers. directory.

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folder British  

/ ˈfəʊldə /

noun

1. a binder or file for holding loose papers, etc

2. a folded circular

3. a machine for folding printed sheets

4. a person or thing that folds

5. computing another name for directory

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• folders
  plural

Etymology

Origin of folder

First recorded in 1545–55; fold ¹ + -er ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

folder folders

Nearby, another family clutches a folder of old medical reports, hoping the hospital can still save their loved one.

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026

Clutching under his arm a blue folder stuffed with documents, maps, and cadastral surveys, Balliu said he has been threatened several times for trying to assert his rights.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

A simple way to imagine this is like making two photocopies of a document but accidentally placing both copies into the same folder instead of separating them.

From Science Daily ● May 25, 2026

I have a folder of Latin techno tracks that are specifically with Spanish vocals or Latin percussion.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 21, 2026

Throwing off my covers, I switch my lamp back on and open the folder I slipped into my bag when Nate wasn’t looking.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam

Other items found in the SNP headquarters included a £195 memo holder from Smythson, a tea set costing £2,396, and a selection of writing folders.

From BBC ● Jun. 23, 2026

Ho said she was drawn to plans for a platform connecting directly to a client’s data sources, such as accounting systems and document folders, to automatically extract and match information.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026

Reporting by the BBC has suggested devices can periodically capture screenshots, which are then stored in hidden folders accessible to authorities.

From Barron's ● May 5, 2026

If you have multiple returns you’re working on — for yourself and your working teens, for instance, or for your elderly parents — you might need multiple folders.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 29, 2026

Like Filch’s filing cabinets at Hogwarts, it was full of folders, each labeled with a name.

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• binder
• file
• pocket