Definition

Noun: 1. A thin, strong, lightweight, and translucent paper: A specific type of paper, historically used for making multiple copies via carbon paper or for airmail correspondence due to its light weight.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The secretary typed the contract on onionskin to create three copies at once.
  • Before email, letters sent overseas were often written on lightweight onionskin paper to save postage.
  • You can see the text from the page beneath through this sheet of onionskin.

Advanced Usage

• Historical/Archival Context: The term is often used when describing old documents, letters, or carbon copies from the mid-20th century.
  • The archive contained a bundle of letters written on fragile onionskin from the 1950s.

Variants and Related Words

• Onion skin (noun phrase): An alternative spelling, often used to refer literally to the thin, papery outer layer of an onion.
  • Peel off the dry onion skin before chopping.

Synonyms

• Flimsy (noun, informal): A term for thin, lightweight paper.
• Air mail paper: A descriptive synonym highlighting one of its primary historical uses.
• Manifold paper: Another term for paper used with carbon sheets to make multiple copies.

Related Idioms or Phrases

• (As) thin as onionskin: A simile used to describe something extremely thin or delicate.
  • The ancient parchment was now as thin as onionskin.

Noun

1. a thin strong lightweight translucent paper used especially for making carbon copies