paper clip

¹

noun

1. a flat wire or plastic clip shaped so that it can hold sheets of paper between two of its loops.
2. a spring clamp for holding papers.

paper-clip

²

[ pey-per-klip ]

verb (used with object)

, pa·per-clipped, pa·per-clip·ping.

1. to fasten together with one or more paper clips:

   Paper-clip these letters and file them.

Word History and Origins

Origin of paper clip¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Origin of paper clip²

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Inside a chat or a group chat, tap the paper clip to the right of the text box, then Location, and choose Share live location.

From Popular-Science

I think of it as using duct tape and paper clips to patch together and stiffen up this foot.

From Nautilus

Instead of neatly fastening documents here on Naxerine Bb, these paper clips instantly melted due to the heat of our binary suns.

From Washington Post

After feeding it the turnip you must hand it a paper clip and ask it to fashion a heart, and after it hands it to you, give it back to the critter and ask it to flatten it to get the shape that you need for a lockpick.

From Washington Post

These little whirligigs will fly to varying degrees with no further accessories, but you can add paper clips for weight and stability or experiment with different types of paper and blade designs.

From Popular-Science

Inside was about $70 held by a paper clip, various cards, and a piece of paper cracking at the folds.

From The Daily Beast

In the shower, he found two potato chips and a paper clip stuck in his hair.

From Project Gutenberg

Would you note the particular pages and put a paper clip on them, please?

From Project Gutenberg

It would only start the subject wondering about the relationship of the paper clip to hypnosis.

From Project Gutenberg

The crease in a soft hat can be kept in proper shape with the aid of a paper clip.

From Project Gutenberg

You could sit down and twist a paper clip out of a hunk of soft wire, couldn't you?

From Project Gutenberg