clipboard

[ klip-bawrd, -bohrd ]

noun

1. a small board having at the top a clip for holding papers and serving as a portable writing surface.

clipboard

/ ˈklɪpˌbɔːd /

noun

1. a portable writing board with a spring clip at the top for holding paper
2. a temporary storage area in desktop publishing where text or graphics are held after the cut command or the copy command

Word History and Origins

Origin of clipboard¹

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10; clip ² + board

Example Sentences

“I honestly have no idea,” a worker with a clipboard and a walkie-talkie said when asked what they were shooting.

From Los Angeles Times

Misinformation isn’t the only obstacle: As Diaz and her co-worker Ashley Jackson rounded the neighborhood one Wednesday, clipboards in hand, they faced locked gates and growling dogs.

From Los Angeles Times

I literally went to a place after school where they wore white coats and held clipboards and watched me struggle through reading on these machines that would isolate word after word.

From Los Angeles Times

She asked for more details and told the man she was a judge — at which point he yanked the clipboard away, she said, and asked: “Am I going to get in trouble?”

From New York Times

It has involved a number of professionals who specialize in getting people on the ground with clipboards and petitions, and helping candidates navigate the complicated process.

From New York Times