commercial paper

American  

noun

1. negotiable paper, as drafts, bills of exchange, etc., given in the course of business.

2. corporate promissory notes, usually short-term and unsecured, sold in the open market.

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commercial paper British  

noun

1. a short-term negotiable document, such as a bill of exchange, promissory note, etc, calling for the transference of a specified sum of money at a designated date

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Etymology

Origin of commercial paper

An Americanism dating back to 1830–40

Example Sentences

These components include investments with maturities of three months or less, like money-market funds, Treasury bills, commercial paper and possibly, stablecoins, for which there are no specific accounting rules at present.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026

In 2008-09, the Fed extended extraordinary support beyond insured banks to investment banks, the commercial paper market, and insurance companies, such as AIG.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

Leidos said it plans to fund the acquisition, slated to closed by the end of June, with cash on hand, new debt and commercial paper.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

Multiple options exist for parking cash, such as investing in short-term government securities, money market instruments and corporate commercial paper.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2023

Larger houses in the big cities often do sell their "commercial paper" through brokers, and some of the big New York mercantile houses have had their paper scattered a good deal throughout the country.

From The Value of Money by Anderson, Benjamin M.