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wax paper

wax paper

6 2.5
A thin paper covered in wax used to wrap or line food
  • noun
  • /wæks ˈpeɪpər/
translation icon : papel encerado
  • Line a baking sheet with wax paper and roll the cake mixture into small balls.
  • wrap in wax paper
  • sheet of wax paper
  • line with wax paper

I lined it with a piece of wax paper so that they won't stick.

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Examples

  • Isabelle rose and wrapped the leftover part of her hamburger in wax paper and put it in the refrigerator.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Jeffrey is eating a sandwich that was wrapped in wax paper and is waiting and watching.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • And you had to remove the wax paper before it got too dry.

  • Just make sure you keep it over the wax paper, okay?

  • We could take leaves and put them between wax paper.

  • You butter the wax paper on both sides.

  • I then rolled it in wax paper and put it in the fridge.

    Blog text (20)
  • The sandwiches eventually came out in a bag, each wrapped separately in wax paper, and were distributed.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Two caramel apples waited on a square piece of wax paper in the kitchen.

    Fiction book (2002)
  • To keep the cookies fresh, store them in a container lined with wax paper.

Synonyms

cellophane
vswax paper
17 5.2

A thin, clear paperlike material used to wrap food or gifts

is a coated opaque sheet that resists moisture but is not transparent
Saran Wrap
vswax paper
  • US
3 2.1

A thin clear plastic film used to cover food to keep it fresh

is a coated opaque sheet that blocks moisture but lacks cling film
butcher paper
vswax paper
  • US
1 3.3

A strong paper used for wrapping meat to stop blood or juices leaking

is a thinner coated sheet focused on moisture resistance not strength
greaseproof paper
vswax paper
  • UK
1 3.9

Paper that does not soak up oil and is used to line baking trays and wrap food

is coated to block moisture rather than oil

How Moisture-Resistant

aluminum foil
  • US
17 1.1
plastic wrap
  • US
14 1.7
wax paper
6 2.5
parchment
20 6.1
napkin
168 1.0

Surface Forms

wax paper singular
wax papers plural

Morphology

wax + paper

The meaning 'paper coated with wax' is directly compositional from 'wax' (a coating material) + 'paper' (thin sheets), following a common English noun-noun compounding pattern where the first noun specifies material or treatment. This is a cross-linguistically common construction (e.g., French papier ciré, Spanish papel encerado), so a B1 learner who knows both words would readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

Wax paper comes from the way it is made: a sheet of paper covered with wax so it keeps water out. That's why wax paper is used to wrap food or to separate layers, because the wax helps keep things 'fresh' and 'dry'.