paperwork

American  

[pey-per-wurk] / ˈpeɪ pərˌwɜrk /

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.

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paperwork British  

/ ˈpeɪpəˌwɜːk /

noun

1. clerical work, such as the completion of forms or the writing of reports or letters

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Usage

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.

Etymology

Origin of paperwork

First recorded in 1580–90; paper + work

Example Sentences

The paperwork was filled in to say that this happened, but when police checked the CCTV, it was a different story.

From BBC

It requires extensive paperwork, and families often have to spend hours on the phone and deal with confusing instructions about how to receive the benefits.

From Salon

Compass, one of the nation’s largest brokerages, filed paperwork on Wednesday to drop its lawsuit challenging Zillow’s rules surrounding the marketing of homes.

From Barron's

Before takeoff, shippers deal with complex veterinary clearances, quarantines and equine paperwork.

From The Wall Street Journal

The field of 14 for mayor narrowed significantly from the roughly 40 who filed initial paperwork on Feb. 7.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• filing