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PlainSpell

white paper

noun

white paper is a noun meaning “A document based on research informing and educating a reader regarding a topic, which may also promote a product or a solution” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). It is spelled W-H-I-T-E-P-A-P-E-R. The plural of white paper is white papers or white-papers.

What does white paper mean?

noun

  1. 1

    A document based on research informing and educating a reader regarding a topic, which may also promote a product or a solution.

  2. 2

    IrelandUKA parliamentary document announcing or proposing a government policy or action.

  3. 3

    Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see white, paper.

noun

as white-paper
  1. 1

    Alternative spelling of white paper.

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

How do you pronounce white paper?

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-white_paper.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).

Forms of white paper

  • white papers plural
  • whitepaper
  • white-paper
  • white-papers plural

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).

Words people confuse with white paper

Also written: whitepaper (one word or two).

Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).

White paper in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese

LanguageWords
Frenchlivre blanc (marketing document)
GermanWeißbuch, Whitepaper (marketing document)
Portugueselivro branco (parliamentary document)

Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.