Office Supplies

The term “stationery” is a shortening, recorded since 1727 of shortening wares, itself derived from Medieval Latin stationarius “stationery seller” or “seller of books and paper” (1311). Originally “stationery” referred to all products sold by a stationer, whose name indicates that his book shop was on a fixed spot, usually near a university and permanent, while medieval trading was mainly ambulant, by pedlars. Stationery is a general name given to paper and office supplies such as envelopes, notepads, pens, pencils, erasers, paper clips, staples etc. The term is frequently used to refer more specifically to paper used for written correspondence, usually decorated or personalised with matching envelopes.