# folder

/ˈfoʊɫdɝ/ (US) · /fˈəʊldɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/folder
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. for paper

noun · CEFR A2

a cardboard or plastic cover used to keep loose papers together and organized.

For teachers: a physical container, typically made of stiff paper or plastic, used to hold and organize loose documents.

- She put the signed contract into a blue folder and placed it in the drawer.
- The legal assistant organized the evidence into several colour-coded folders to ensure the attorney could locate specific documents quickly during the trial.

### 2. on a computer

noun · CEFR A2

a place on a computer where you store related files and other folders.

For teachers: a virtual directory in a computer's file system used to group related files and subdirectories.

- I created a new folder on my desktop to save all my holiday photos.
- The system administrator recommended moving the archived logs into a separate folder to prevent the main directory from becoming cluttered.

### 3. person or machine

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a person or a machine that folds things, like clothes or paper.

For teachers: an agent, whether human or mechanical, that performs the action of folding material.

- The industrial laundry has a high-speed folder for bed sheets.
- The printing press includes an automated folder that creases the newspapers before they are bundled for delivery.

### 4. folding knife

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · Technical

a knife with a blade that folds into the handle.

For teachers: a pocketknife or similar cutting tool featuring a blade that pivots into the handle for safe storage.

- He carried a small folder in his pocket for opening boxes at work.
- The collector specialized in custom folders, admiring the precision of the locking mechanisms and the quality of the forged steel.

## Examples

- I put the new contract in a blue folder.
- You should create a separate folder for your tax documents to keep your desktop organized.
- The system administrator moved the sensitive records into a password-protected folder to ensure that only authorized personnel could access the data.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.