# paperwork

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈpeɪ.pɚˌwɝk/ · frequency rank #9,078

## Definitions
1. Routine work involving written documents.
2. Written documents.
3. Excessive paperwork, busy work, red tape.
4. Court documents or pre-sentencing investigation reports detailing the prisoner's criminal history (usually in the context of discerning whether an inmate has been charged for sex-related offenses or is likely to be an informant).
5. A work in paper.

## Etymology
From paper + work.

## Common misspellings (14)
`apperwork`, `paeprwork`, `paperowrk`, `paperrwork`, `paperwokr`, `paperworkk`, `paperworrk`, `paperwrok`, `paperwwork`, `papewrork`, `papperwork`, `paprework`, `ppaerwork`, `ppaperwork`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/paperwork