paperwork

[pey-per-wurk]

noun

1. written or clerical work, as records or reports, forming a necessary but often a routine and secondary part of some work or job.

paperwork

/ ˈpeɪpəˌwɜːk /

noun

1. clerical work, such as the completion of forms or the writing of reports or letters

Word History and Origins

Origin of paperwork¹

First recorded in 1580–90; paper + work

Example Sentences

That includes the federal I-9 form — paperwork required by U.S. law that employers must complete for every new hire to verify identity and work eligibility.

From Salon

Bishop Montgomery and Long Beach Millikan have been among the schools where football athletes were declared ineligible for two years after providing false paperwork information.

From Los Angeles Times

As the cleanup progressed, one obstacle for public officials was tracking down the thousands of displaced survivors and getting them to sign paperwork that would grant federal cleanup crews permission to clear their properties.

From Los Angeles Times

Commercial activity also requires paperwork allowing a brand to use the property’s copyrights and trademarks, he said.

From Los Angeles Times

People have had to submit so much paperwork just to get a few dollars.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• filing www.thesaurus.com

When To Use

What does paperwork mean?

Paperwork is the task of filling out forms, especially when they’re literally on paper.More generally, paperwork refers to routine clerical and administrative work like recordkeeping and processing documents (regardless of whether they’re on paper).Paperwork can be done as part of one’s job (the boring part), or in any setting that involves filling out forms, such as buying a house or a car or applying for a job. Doing so is often referred to as filling out (the) paperwork, doing (the) paperwork, or completing (the) paperwork.Paperwork is a collective noun, meaning it appears in a singular form but refers to such tasks as a group.Example: Applying for a job with the government required her to fill out an incredible amount of paperwork about her family history, education, and travel activity.