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

The judge then set a follow-up hearing for Jan. 22 so she could look over the pending paperwork and make a decision.

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Ethiopia has also revoked visa exemptions and police routinely detain people lacking the necessary paperwork, aid officials say.

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O'Neill effectively confirmed on Sunday that Nancy is the man Celtic are waiting for but that "paperwork" is holding up the deal.

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For example: spotting ships and containers whose movement or paperwork doesn’t match their weight or ownership records.

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There is a mountain of paperwork to be done, the bane of every cop.

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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.