paperweight

American  

[pey-per-weyt] / ˈpeɪ pərˌweɪt /

noun

1. a small, heavy object of glass, metal, etc., placed on papers to keep them from scattering.

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paperweight British  

/ ˈpeɪpəˌweɪt /

noun

1. a small heavy object placed on loose papers to prevent them from scattering

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Etymology

Origin of paperweight

First recorded in 1855–60; paper + weight

Example Sentences

This gets to the core of the matter: AI is driving runaway demand for processors like those Nvidia makes, but they would be paperweights without memory, so demand there is going bananas, too.

From Barron's

My tongue felt like someone had snuck a paperweight inside it.

From Salon

When McVay addressed his team earlier this week, he displayed a paperweight emblazoned with the phrase “Built For This.”

From Los Angeles Times

So Friday morning, coach Sean McVay arrived at the team’s Woodland Hills facility with a message inscribed in black letters on a paperweight:

From Los Angeles Times

Bags of rice and barley from past quality inspections act as paperweights for stacks of files and manuals.

From Los Angeles Times