Phrase guide

paper towel

noun · 3 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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1

noun

Meaning 1

A sheet of absorbent paper, used for cleaning and food preparation, usually sold in and dispensed from rolls.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, Canada, US, countable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A sheet of absorbent paper dispensed in restrooms, usually used for drying washed hands.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: UK

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a disposable towel made of absorbent 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: towel

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

42 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: مِنْشَفَة وَرَقِيَّة (minšafa waraqiyya) — paper used in kitchens
  • Catalan: tovalló de paper — paper used in kitchens
  • Catalan: paper de cuina — paper used in kitchens
  • Chinese Mandarin: 紙巾 /纸巾 (zhǐjīn) — paper used in kitchens
  • Chinese Mandarin: 廚房紙 /厨房纸 (chúfángzhǐ) — paper used in kitchens
  • Danish: køkkenrulle — paper used in kitchens
  • Dutch: keukenrol — paper used in kitchens
  • Finnish: talouspaperi — paper used in kitchens
  • Finnish: talouspaperin pala — paper used in kitchens
  • French: essuie-tout — paper used in kitchens
  • French: papier ménage — paper used in kitchens
  • German: Küchenrolle — paper used in kitchens
  • German: Küchenpapier — paper used in kitchens
  • German: Papiertuch — paper used in kitchens
  • Greek: χαρτί κουζίνας (chartí kouzínas) — paper used in kitchens
  • Hebrew: מגבת נייר (magévet n'yár) — paper used in kitchens
  • Hungarian: konyhai papírtörlő — paper used in kitchens
  • Irish: píosa páipéar cistine — paper used in kitchens
  • Italian: carta assorbente — paper used in kitchens
  • Italian: scottex — paper used in kitchens
  • Italian: carta da cucina — paper used in kitchens
  • Italian: rotolo da cucina — paper used in kitchens
  • Japanese: ペーパータオル (pēpā taoru) — paper used in kitchens
  • Japanese: キッチンペーパー (kitchin pēpā) — paper used in kitchens
  • Korean: 페이퍼 타월 (peipeo tawol) — paper used in kitchens
  • Korean: 키친 타월 (kichin tawol) — paper used in kitchens
  • Korean: 종이 행주 (jong'i haengju) — paper used in kitchens
  • Lithuanian: popierinis rankšluostis — paper used in kitchens
  • Macedonian: хартиена крпа (hartiena krpa) — paper used in kitchens
  • Norwegian Bokmål: kjøkkenrull — paper used in kitchens
  • Norwegian Bokmål: papirhåndkle — paper used in kitchens
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: kjøkkenrull — paper used in kitchens
  • Iranian Persian: حُولِهٔ کاغَذی (howle-ye kâġazi) — paper used in kitchens
  • Polish: ręcznik papierowy — paper used in kitchens
  • Portuguese: papel-toalha — paper used in kitchens
  • Russian: бума́жное полоте́нце (bumážnoje poloténce) — paper used in kitchens
  • Spanish: servilleta de papel — paper used in kitchens
  • Swedish: hushållspapper — paper used in kitchens
  • Turkish: kâğıt havlu — paper used in kitchens
  • Ukrainian: паперо́вий рушни́к (paperóvyj rušnýk) — paper used in kitchens
  • Vietnamese: khăn giấy — paper used in kitchens
  • Waray-Waray: twalya nga papel — paper used in kitchens