noun
Uncommon
wallpaper
Wallpaper (noun) means Decorative paper or paper-like material used to cover interior walls. Example: “They chose a floral wallpaper for the guest bedroom.”
noun
1
Decorative paper or paper-like material used to cover interior walls.
"They chose a floral wallpaper for the guest bedroom."
"The old wallpaper was peeling near the ceiling."
"We stripped the old wallpaper from the kitchen before painting the walls."
2
An image or pattern used as the background of a computer or phone screen.
"He set a photo of his dog as his desktop wallpaper."
"Her phone wallpaper is a picture of the beach where they met."
"Do you know how to change the wallpaper on this laptop?"
verb
1
To cover a wall or room with wallpaper.
"We spent the weekend wallpapering the hallway."
"Dad is wallpapering the nursery, and the pattern has tiny yellow ducks."
"It took us two evenings to wallpaper the small bathroom."
How to use wallpaper
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishPatterned paper stuck to walls for decoration — or, on a computer, the background image on your screen.
Common pairings
hang wallpaper
desktop wallpaper
peeling wallpaper
floral wallpaper
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Word forms
- Plural
- wallpapers
- Third person singular
- wallpapers
- Past tense
- wallpapered
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They chose a floral _____ for the guest bedroom.
Etymology
A straightforward compound of wall and paper, dating from the 1800s when patterned paper became a common way to decorate room walls.
Class of 1800
wallpaper joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for wallpaper
See all rhymes for wallpaper →Frequently asked questions
What does “wallpaper” mean?
The word “wallpaper” means decorative paper or paper-like material used to cover interior walls. In plain terms, patterned paper stuck to walls for decoration — or, on a computer, the background image on your screen.
How do you use “wallpaper” in a sentence?
Here is “wallpaper” used in a sentence: “They chose a floral wallpaper for the guest bedroom.”
What is another word for “wallpaper”?
Words with a similar meaning to “wallpaper” include desktop pattern and background.
What part of speech is “wallpaper”?
Depending on how it is used, “wallpaper” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “wallpaper” come from?
The word “wallpaper” dates back to around 1800. A straightforward compound of wall and paper, dating from the 1800s when patterned paper became a common way to decorate room walls.
Is “wallpaper” a common word?
“Wallpaper” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “wallpaper” have?
“Wallpaper” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: decorative paper or paper-like material used to cover interior walls.
What is the difference between wallpaper and paint for walls?
Wallpaper is a decorative paper or paper-like material applied to cover interior walls, often with printed patterns or textures, while paint is a liquid coating applied directly to the wall surface. Wallpaper can achieve more elaborate patterns and textures than paint typically allows, but it is generally harder to remove or change.
What is the difference between wallpaper and a screensaver?
Wallpaper is the static image or pattern used as the background of a computer or phone screen, visible behind icons and apps. A screensaver, by contrast, is a moving image or animation that only appears after a period of inactivity, traditionally used to prevent screen burn-in.
Can wallpaper be used as a verb?
Yes, to wallpaper means to cover a wall or room with wallpaper, as in "they wallpapered the bedroom last weekend." It can also be used figuratively to describe covering something extensively, such as a website using an image to fill its entire background.
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