White Paper
Preserved but no longer current.
A publication issued by the British government giving information on matters of interest, reports of committees, etc, and on sale to the public. Since 1919 Government papers have been marked "Cmd.", command.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “White Paper” mean?
A publication issued by the British government giving information on matters of interest, reports of committees, etc, and on sale to the public. Since 1919 Government papers have been marked "Cmd.", command.
Is “White Paper” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.