papyrus

pəˈpaɪrəs

papyri

Definition

Synonyms

Definition of papyrus - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

historyancient sheet made from plant fibers used for writing

Scholars studied the papyrus for historical insights.

document

manuscript

scroll

plant

Rare

tall water plant native to Africa

Rare

Papyrus grows abundantly along the Nile.

bulrush

reed

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Images of papyrus

tall water plant native to Africa

Origin of papyrus

Greek, papyros (reed)

Terms with papyrus included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.

bulrush

biblical

plant in the Moses story, likely papyrus

Byblos

history

ancient city in Phoenicia known for papyrus trade

papyraceous

adj.

botany

related to or resembling papyrus in nature

papyrology

academic discipline

study of ancient texts on papyrus

Examples of papyrus in a sentence

They discovered a papyrus in the ancient ruins.
The ancient Egyptians used papyrus for writing.
Papyrus can be found in wetland areas.

View all translations of papyrus

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:papyrus, plante de papyrus, ...
German:Papyrus, Papyruspflanze, ...
Italian:papiro, pianta di papiro, ...
Spanish:papiro, ...
Portuguese:papiro, ...
Chinese:纸莎草文献, 纸莎草, ...
Japanese:パピルス, パピルス草, ...
Arabic:بَرْدِيّ, ...
Hebrew:פַּפִּירוּס, ...
Russian:папирус, тростник, ...
Ukrainian:папірус, ...
Hindi:पपीरस, पपीरस पौधा, ...
Bengali:প্যাপিরাস, ...
Catalan:papir, papiro, ...
Czech:papyrus, šáchor papírodárný, ...
Danish:papyrus, papyrusplante, ...
Dutch:papyrus, papyrusplant, ...
Greek:πάπυρος, ...
Hungarian:papirusz, papiruszsás, ...
Khmer:ប៉ាពីរូស, ប៉ាពីរុស, ...
Korean:파피루스, 종이풀, ...
Persian:پاپیروس, نی آبی, ...
Polish:papirus, trzcina papirusowa, ...
Portuguese (BR):papiro, ...
Romanian:papirus, ...
Swedish:papyrus, papyrusväxt, ...
Thai:กระดาษปาปิรุส, กกอียิปต์, ...
Turkish:papirüs, ...
Vietnamese:giấy cói, cây cói, ...

Browse the dictionary entries starting with “p”:

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.