pa·per n
1: a piece of paper containing a written statement: as
a: a formal written composition or document often intended for publication
the Federalist paper s
b: a document containing a statement of legal status, identity, authority, or ownership
— often used in pl. whether applying to one or more items
naturalization paper s
this policy, including the endorsements and the attached paper s — Mutual of Omaha
c: a document (as an answer, motion, or brief) prepared in furtherance of a legal action
all paper s after the complaint required to be served upon a party shall be filed with the court — Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 5(d)
2: a document providing evidence of a financial obligation; esp: commercial paper in this entry
accommodation paper: commercial paper used by one party to accommodate another party
bearer paper: commercial paper that is freely negotiable by the holder and is made payable to bearer compare order paper in this entry
chattel paper: paper that sets out both a buyer's obligation to repay and a lender's or a seller's security interest in the goods bought or that contains the provisions of a lease of the goods
commercial paper: a usu. negotiable instrument (as a note, draft, or certificate of deposit) arising out of a commercial transaction; specif: any of the instruments constituting the obligations of a business organization that are sold as investments
order paper: commercial paper that is payable to order compare bearer paper in this entry
on paper: figured at face value
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.