What does page mean?
A page is one side of a sheet in a book, document, or similar material, and it can also mean an individual section of content on a website or screen. Because books and other bound objects are made from leaves, each visible side is commonly called a page even though it is technically only half a leaf. In print and digital publishing, pages provide the basic units by which information is divided and navigated; phrases such as 'turn the page' and 'page through' reflect this ordered presentation. The word also has theatrical and professional uses. A page may be a person summoned by name, an actor listed in a programme, or a young worker employed to carry messages and assist guests in a hotel. As a verb, to page someone means to call or summon them, often through a public address system or paging device. Together, these senses connect the page as a container for information with the page as an active messenger or summoned person.
One side of a sheet of paper, especially in a book, document, or other bound material; also a distinct section of digital content.
"The chapter begins on page forty-two."
In publishing and web design, 'page' commonly refers to one unit of content or a complete screen of information.
To call for or summon someone, especially by name through a public address system or paging device.
"Please page Dr Patel and tell her she has a visitor."
The countable noun normally takes the plural form 'pages' when referring to sheets, sides of leaves, or separate sections of content.
"Several pages of the manuscript were missing."
The word journeyed from a Latin term for a leaf to the digital screens we now scroll through page by page.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does page come from?
The word entered Middle English through Anglo-French from Latin pagina, a term for a leaf or page. Latin pagina was originally a feminine adjective meaning 'bound' or 'fastened together,' derived from pangere, 'to bind'. From this same ancient root of binding come related English words including pagination, paginate, compact, and pact.
Related word forms
How page is actually used
The noun has distinct literary, digital, and theatrical senses. As a verb, 'page' is common in announcements and service settings, while 'page through' describes moving through material in a sequential way.
Easily confused with page
A page is a sheet or a section of digital content, whereas a pager is a device that displays messages or alerts its user.
A page is part of a written or digital document, while a stage is a platform for performance or a particular phase of a process.