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Glite Dictionary
papery

papery

2 4.8
Thin and like paper in feel or look
  • adjective
  • /ˈpeɪpəri/
translation icon : papeloso
  • The flower petals were thin and papery, fluttering gently in the breeze.
  • papery skin
  • papery husk
  • papery bark

OK, so there shouldn't be any spots where you're hearing any papery sound together.

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Examples

  • Fig and olive trees, papery bougainvillea blossoms line the walkway between the grotto and a nearby church.

    Academic text (2012)

  • She noticed the papery layers of the onion as she peeled it for dinner.

  • The skin around the eyes had gone papery and white.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • His skin felt papery and dry, like an old man's.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • I followed, tethered to him by his papery hand.

    Fiction book (2000)

  • If I did touch her, I would feel nothing but a collection of twig-like bones and papery skin.

    Fiction book (1997)

  • The loose skin is moist and papery, but she can feel the bone, still thick and hard.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • Its papery yellow skin barely hid the muscles and organs beneath.

    Fiction book (2002)

  • His voice was a papery whisper, like the wings of a dead wasp.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • He's got that kind of papery skin like me, too, except splashed with a handful of freckles.

    Fiction book (2000)

Synonyms

paper-thin
vspapery
8 3.9

Very thin and easily damaged, like a sheet of paper

focuses on surface texture and appearance rather than sheer thinness
filmy
vspapery
4 5.8

A thin, light layer that is almost see-through

describes surface texture and look rather than translucence or lightness
chartaceous
vspapery
  • Specialized
9.9

Having a thin texture like paper

is the common, simple word for the same texture
paperlike
vspapery
4.1

Feels thin, flat and dry like paper

is a general description stressing surface texture over other traits
sheetlike
vspapery
5.2

Thin and flat like a sheet

emphasizes surface texture rather than simply shape or form
tissuey
vspapery
6.7

Thin and light like tissue paper

refers to surface texture and firmness rather than soft fragility
tissue-like
vspapery
3.7

Very thin, soft, and easy to tear like paper used for cleaning

highlights surface texture and look rather than delicate, tearable nature

Antonyms

solid
325 1.0

Firm and hard so it keeps its shape, not liquid

How Thin

papery
2 4.8
flimsy
25 3.8
delicate
188 3.8
thick
585 1.0

Surface Forms

papery positive
paperier comparative
paperiest superlative

Morphology

papery = paper (transparent) = paper + y

The meaning is directly formed by adding the adjectival suffix '-y' to 'paper' to mean 'like or having the quality of paper'.

Etymology

The word papery comes from paper plus the ending -y, which means 'like'. The word paper comes from papyrus, the Egyptian plant once used to make thin sheets to write on, so 'papery' means thin and having the look or feel of paper.