Standard Lemma guide

paperless

adj · 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • CMU ARPABET: P EY1 P ER0 L AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Without paper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • The paperless walls of the bedroom looked grey and cheerless.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Relating to or involving the communication or storage of information electronically, rather than with paper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • Many banks are now offering paperless billing.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Lacking official documentation or evidence of identity.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • The government will aim to identify paperless refugees.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English paper Proto-Indo-European *lewh1- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les English -less English paperless From paper + -less.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: papirløs — without paper
  • Swedish: papperslös — without paper
  • Danish: papirløs — using information without paper
  • French: dématérialisé — using information without paper
  • Georgian: უქაღალდო (ukaɣaldo) — using information without paper
  • German: papierlos — using information without paper
  • Norwegian Bokmål: papirløs — using information without paper
  • Norwegian Bokmål: papirlaus — using information without paper
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: papirlaus — using information without paper
  • Swedish: papperslös — using information without paper
  • Danish: papirløs — without documentation of identity
  • French: sans papiers — without documentation of identity
  • Norwegian Bokmål: papirløs — without documentation of identity
  • Norwegian Bokmål: papirlaus — without documentation of identity
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: papirlaus — without documentation of identity
  • Spanish: sin papeles — without documentation of identity
  • Swedish: papperslös — without documentation of identity