papyrus

noun

pa·​py·​rus pə-ˈpī-rəs 

plural papyri pə-ˈpī-(ˌ)rē 

-rī

or papyruses

1

: a tall perennial sedge (Cyperus papyrus) of the Nile valley

2

: the pith of the papyrus plant especially when made into strips and pressed into a material to write on

3

a

: a writing on papyrus

b

: a written scroll made of papyrus

He discovered a papyrus in the ruins.

Illustration of papyrus

• papyrus 1

Examples of papyrus in a Sentence

an ancient text written on papyrus

He discovered a papyrus in the ruins.

Recent Examples on the Web

Last month, officials announced the discovery of eight rare papyrus scrolls dating back nearly 3,000 years — whose contents still remain unknown. —Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026

Upon examination, the team revealed a sheet of papyrus inside the mummy’s abdomen that contained text from the Iliad, the ancient Greek poet Homer’s epic account of the siege of Troy. —Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 Apr. 2026

Researchers from Cambridge University’s Fitzwilliam Museum recently discovered that Ancient Egyptians used a 3,000-year-old version of Wite-Out to amend mistakes on their papyrus creations, The Art Newspaper reported Monday. —News Desk, Artforum, 9 Mar. 2026

Vetiver, musk, and papyrus yield a curious aroma that captivates strangers, so much so that a few have even stopped me to inquire about it. —Sophie Wirt, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin — more at paper

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

papyrus

noun

pa·​py·​rus pə-ˈpī-rəs 

plural papyri -ˈpī(ə)r-ē 

-ˌī

also papyruses

1

: a tall sedge of the Nile valley

2

: the soft central part of papyrus stems especially when made into strips and pressed into a writing material

3

: a writing on or written scroll of papyrus

Etymology

Middle English papyrus "papyrus," from Latin papyrus "papyrus, paper," from Greek papyros "papyrus" — related to paper