noun
sandpaper
SAND-payp
noun
1
Paper coated with an abrasive grit, used for smoothing or polishing surfaces.
"He ran a sheet of sandpaper over the rough edge of the shelf."
"Fine-grit sandpaper gives wood a silky finish before varnishing."
verb
1
To rub or smooth a surface using sandpaper.
"She sandpapered the old door before repainting it."
How to Use Sandpaper
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishGritty paper for smoothing wood or other surfaces, or the act of doing that smoothing.
Common pairings
fine-grit sandpaper
sandpaper a surface
a sheet of sandpaper
Word Forms
sandpapered past tense, sandpapers plural, sandpapers singular
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Etymology
A straightforward compound of "sand" and "paper", describing paper originally coated with fine sand grit.