folder

American  

[fohl-der] / ˈfoʊl dər /

noun

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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Etymology

Origin of folder

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

Example Sentences

His manager showed him the folder that contained the precious trade secret, before locking it away once more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

They can instead use a natural-language interface, where you can speak as you normally do to your Alexa device, and it grabs the right folder.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

The time has come to create a digital folder with account numbers and most recent correspondence.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 27, 2026

The 79-year-old brandished a folder in front of reporters that he said listed 365 achievements since he was sworn in on January 20 last year.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

He whisks the paper away and deposits it into a folder before I can change my mind.

From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• binder
• file
• pocket