paper trade

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

The sale of printed song lyrics by street peddlers.

Register: slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “paper trade” mean?

The sale of printed song lyrics by street peddlers.

Is “paper trade” formal or informal?

paper trade is generally slang.