Phrase guide

paper tape

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An early sequential digital storage medium originally used with teletype machines, consisting of a long roll of paper, each character being encoded as a pattern of punched holes.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical, uncountable, usually

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: punched paper tape, punched tape

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a long narrow strip of paper

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: paper

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: ponsband — early sequential digital storage medium consisting of a long roll of paper
  • Finnish: reikänauha — early sequential digital storage medium consisting of a long roll of paper
  • German: Lochstreifen — early sequential digital storage medium consisting of a long roll of paper
  • Lithuanian: perfojuosta — early sequential digital storage medium consisting of a long roll of paper
  • Polish: taśma dziurkowana — early sequential digital storage medium consisting of a long roll of paper
  • Polish: taśma perforowana — early sequential digital storage medium consisting of a long roll of paper
  • Swedish: hålremsa — early sequential digital storage medium consisting of a long roll of paper