toilet paper

American  

[toi-lit pey-per] / ˈtɔɪ lɪt ˌpeɪ pər /

Also TP,

noun

1. Also called bathroom tissue.  Also called toilet tissue,.  a soft, lightweight, sanitized paper used in bathrooms for personal cleansing after elimination.

---

verb (used with or without object)

1. to cover a house, a tree, or other structure, usually on someone’s home property, with strips of toilet paper, as a prank.

   Toilet papering the chief of police’s car was a risky choice—you’re going to get fined for littering or trespassing if he catches you.

toilet paper British  

noun

1. thin absorbent paper, often wound in a roll round a cardboard cylinder ( toilet roll ), used for cleaning oneself after defecation or urination

---

Etymology

Origin of toilet paper

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

The pandemic injected life into the company: people needed their neighbors for finding anything from toilet paper to friendship.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026

If it’s anything like a normal set, it will be fun and there will be a toilet paper gun.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

At the heart of this effort is a fast-moving battle over how consumers will find and buy everything from toilet paper to furniture through AI platforms such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

‘Let’s buy this bulk box of chickpea cans and toilet paper.’

From MarketWatch • Jan. 25, 2026

An old man was there, buying a lot of frozen dinners and toilet paper.

From "All About Sam" by Lois Lowry