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tissue paper

American  

noun

  1. a very thin, almost transparent paper used for wrapping delicate articles, covering illustrations in books, copying letters, etc.


tissue paper British  

noun

  1. very thin soft delicate paper used to wrap breakable goods, as decoration, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of tissue paper

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

He knows politicians use him "like tissue paper", but is still grateful for the cash.

From Barron's Jul. 13, 2026

A state prosecutor told the court on Wednesday that Zhang had packed some ants in test tubes, while others were concealed in tissue paper rolls hidden in his luggage.

From BBC Mar. 12, 2026

Most of it is made from paper and disposable plastic and biodegradable this and that, so we’ll just start using paper towels and tissue paper and spray everything down with Clorox.

From Salon Apr. 29, 2025

Researchers focus on this SEI layer, which is thinner than a sheet of tissue paper, because of its out-sized role in battery performance.

From Science Daily Sep. 28, 2023

Tree limbs blew through the air as if they were nothing but tissue paper, while bits of dirt and pebbles stung Ivy’s face.

From "Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World" by Ashley Herring Blake

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