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.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• term papers
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of term paper

First recorded in 1925–30

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

term paper

Oh, it was just a cheeky term paper, was it?

From Slate ● Oct. 24, 2026

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

I’m embarrassed to admit this, but as a young film student trained to think of movies as something to be solved in a term paper, Lynch once frustrated me immensely.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 17, 2025

Mrs. Friedman had assigned us a term paper on the French Revolution.

From "Shelter (Book One): A Mickey Bolitar Novel" by Harlan Coben

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