working paper

noun

: a paper on which tentative figures, memoranda, data, or analyses of accounts are set down during the conduct of a survey (as an audit) of a business

: a tentative statement prepared to serve as a basis for discussion or negotiation

working papers plural : official documents legalizing the employment of a minor

before being employed the boy had to produce his working papers

Word History

Etymology

working, gerund of work entry 3

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler

The first known use of working paper was in 1887

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Working paper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/working%20paper. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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