loose-leaf

[loos-leef]

adjective

(of a book, notebook, etc.) consisting of individual leaves held in a binder (loose-leaf binder), as by rings that open and close, in such a way as to allow their removal, return, or replacement without tearing.

of or for use with a loose-leaf binder: loose-leaf paper.

Origin of loose-leaf

First recorded in 1900–05

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for loose-leaf

Contemporary Examples of loose-leaf

I stocked up on reams of loose-leaf paper and dozens of mechanical pencils.
Didn't I Feed You Yesterday?
Laura Bennett
October 5, 2008

Historical Examples of loose-leaf

A loose-leaf book is preferred by some people for inventories and accounts.
Foods and Household Management
Helen Kinne
To enable the debater to use a loose-leaf system of note-taking.
Standard Selections
Various
Lem removed a slip from his loose-leaf book and tendered it to Bart.
Bart Stirling's Road to Success
Allen Chapman
The rest of it sounded like something one reads at the foot of each page of a loose-leaf desk calendar.
Fanny Herself
Edna Ferber
He sent Eleanor a handsome tooled-leather portfolio to hold his letters, which he wrote on loose-leaf sheets and mailed unfolded.
Quin
Alice Hegan Rice

British Dictionary definitions for loose-leaf

loose-leaf

adjective

(of a binder, album, etc) capable of being opened to allow removal and addition of pages

noun

a serial publication published in loose leaves and kept in such a binder

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

Word Origin and History for loose-leaf

adj.

1899, from loose (adj.) + leaf (n.).