papyrus

Papyrus is a grass like water plant found in the Nile region of Egypt, or paper made from this plant.

(noun)

An example of papyrus is the plant ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used to make paper.

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See papyrus in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. papyri or papyruses

  1. a tall water plant (Cyperus papyrus) of the sedge family, abundant in the Nile region of Egypt and widely cultivated as an ornamental
  2. a writing material made from this plant by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, by soaking, pressing, and drying thin slices of its pith laid crosswise
  3. any ancient document or manuscript on papyrus

Origin: ME papirus < L papyrus < Gr papyros, prob. < Coptic paparo < ? Egypt pʾ-n-pr-ʿʾ, that of the pharaoh

See papyrus in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. pa·py·rus·es or pa·py·ri (-rīˌ)
  1. A tall, aquatic, Mediterranean sedge (Cyperus papyrus) having numerous drooping rays grouped in umbels. Also called Egyptian paper rush, paper plant.
  2. a. A material on which to write made from the pith or the stems of this sedge, used especially by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans.
    b. A document written on this material.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English papirus

Origin: , from Latin papȳrus

Origin: , from Greek papūros

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