term paper

American  

noun

term papers plural

1. a long essay, report, or the like, written by a student as an assignment over the course of a term or semester.

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• term papers
  plural

Etymology

Origin of term paper

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

term paper

Just as AI is useful for lazy students who don’t want to write that term paper, it’s an unnatural boon for a narcissistic con man.

From Salon ● May 23, 2026

Shortly before he allegedly opened fire outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, he emailed a document to family members that read like a term paper, including a “rebuttals to objections” section.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026

Later, she is assigned to collaborate on a guidebook and write a term paper.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026

Any undergraduate who scribbled such gibberish in a history or poli-sci term paper would be advised to switch majors.

From Slate ● Dec. 8, 2025

I did a term paper on the history of jazz in Chicago when I was in eighth grade.

From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements