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pa·py·rus

(pə-pīrəs)

n. pl. pa·py·rus·es or pa·py·ri (-rī′)

1. An aquatic sedge (Cyperus papyrus) native to Africa, having a tall stem and an umbellate inflorescence with numerous arching rays.

a. A material made from the pith or the stems of this sedge, used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans especially to write or paint on.

b. A document written on this material.

[Middle English papirus, from Latin papȳrus, from Greek papūros.]

(click for a larger image)

papyrus

top: papyrus plant

Cyperus papyrus

bottom: c. 1400-1200 bc papyrus fragment from the Egyptian Book of the Dead

(click for a larger image)

papyrus

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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