Definition of paper noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

paper

noun

ˈpeɪpə(r)

ˈpeɪpər

for writing/wrapping

1 [uncountable] (often in compounds) the thin material that you write and draw on and that is also used for wrapping and packing thingsa piece/sheet of papera package wrapped in brown paperrecycled paperShe wrote her name and address on a slip (= a small piece) of paper.Experience is more important for this job than paper qualifications (= that exist on paper, but may not have any real value).paper losses/profits (= that are shown in accounts but which may not exist in reality)This journal is available in paper and electronic form. see also notepaper, wrapping paper, writing paper

newspaper

2 [countable] a newspapera local/national papera daily/evening/Sunday paperI read about it in the paper.Have you seen today's paper?The papers (= newspapers in general) soon got hold of the story.

documents

3 papers [plural] pieces of paper with writing on them, such as letters, pieces of work or private documentsHis desk was covered with books and papers.I found these documents among my father's papers after his death.

4 papers [plural] official documents that prove your identity, give you permission to do something, etcdivorce/identification papersImmigration officials will ask to see your papers. see also walking papers, working paper

exam

5 [countable] (British English) a set of exam questions on a particular subject; the answers that people write to the questionsThe Geography paper was hard.She spent the evening marking exam papers.

article

6 [countable] an academic article about a particular subject that is written by and for specialistsa recent paper in the Journal of MedicineShe was invited to give a paper (= a talk) on the results of her research.7 [countable] (North American English) a piece of written work done by a studentYour grade will be based on four papers and a final exam. see also term paper

on walls

8 [countable, uncountable] paper that you use to cover and decorate the walls of a roomThe room was damp and the paper was peeling off.

Help

There are many other compounds ending in paper. You will find them at their place in the alphabet.

Idioms

on paper

1 when you put something on paper, you write it down2 judged from written information only, but not proved in practiceThe idea looks good on paper.

more at put pen to paper at pen noun, not worth the paper it's written/printed on at worth adjective

Usage note: Scientific researchTheoryformulate/advance a theory/hypothesisbuild/construct/create/develop a simple/theoretical/mathematical modeldevelop/establish/provide/use a theoretical/conceptual frameworkadvance/argue/develop the thesis that…explore an idea/a concept/a hypothesismake a prediction/an inferencebase a prediction/your calculations on somethinginvestigate/evaluate/accept/challenge/reject a theory/hypothesis/modelExperimentdesign an experiment/a questionnaire/a study/a testdo research/an experiment/an analysismake observations/measurements/calculationscarry out/conduct/perform an experiment/a test/a longitudinal study/observations/clinical trialsrun an experiment/a simulation/clinical trialsrepeat an experiment/a test/an analysisreplicate a study/the results/the findingsobserve/study/examine/investigate/assess a pattern/a process/a behaviour/(especially US) a behaviorfund/support the research/project/studyseek/provide/get/secure funding for researchResultscollect/gather/extract data/informationyield data/evidence/similar findings/the same resultsanalyse/examine the data/soil samples/a specimenconsider/compare/interpret the results/findingsfit the data/modelconfirm/support/verify a prediction/a hypothesis/the results/the findingsprove a conjecture/hypothesis/theoremdraw/make/reach the same conclusionsread/review the records/literaturedescribe/report an experiment/a studypresent/publish/summarize the results/findingspresent/publish/read/review/cite a paper in a scientific journal