wallpaper

1 of 2

noun

wall·​pa·​per ˈwȯl-ˌpā-pər 

1

: decorative paper for the walls of a room

2

: the background image or set of images displayed on a computer screen

After becoming a member, the user gets to design a homepage with his or her choice of pictures, music, wallpaper, writing, and information making each page unique.

—Fahiym Ratcliffe

wallpaper

2 of 2

verb

wallpapered; wallpapering; wallpapers

transitive verb

: to provide the walls of (a room) with wallpaper

intransitive verb

: to put wallpaper on a wall

Examples of wallpaper in a Sentence

Noun

The wallpaper began to peel.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Locals know and love Columns for its massive porch—which becomes particularly lively during weekend brunch—and the interiors retain that private residence feel for guests, from toile wallpaper and stone fireplaces to a mahogany staircase that climbs upwards to reveal a stained glass skylight. —Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 24 Dec. 2024

The wallpaper: My son attacking me with a cat tail and the planet Mars. —David Pierce, The Verge, 22 Dec. 2024

Verb

Following O’Keefe’s death, Read spent the first few months mourning and reminiscing about her relationship and trying to distract herself by wallpapering the house, cooking with her mother, and reading, Vanity Fair reported. —Jordana Comiter, People.com, 30 Oct. 2024

Photo: Lifestyle Production The steel transitions from backsplash to wallpaper to ceiling. —Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1827, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1918, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Kids Definition

wallpaper

noun

wall·​pa·​per

ˈwȯl-ˌpā-pər

: decorative paper for covering the walls of a room

wallpaper verb