English

Alternative forms

• dead-tree

Adjective

dead tree ‎(not comparable)

1. made of or pertaining to paper, especially as opposed to a digital alternative
   • 1986 Apr 15: Barry Shein, Re: job control, net.unix-wizards,

     My question is basically do you need better on-line programs to search the docs ... , or actually different dead-tree style.

   • 1996 Dec 12: Michael J. Gallagher, Re: NASA HQ buyout??????, sci.space.policy,

     Dead tree technology doesn't saddle you with a $300 phone bill.

   • 1998, Shirley Duglin. Kennedy, Best bet Internet: reference and research when you don't have time to mess around, p55

     By the way, if you're annoyed by the bright green background (which shouldn't be a total shock to anyone who reads the dead-tree edition of Wired) ...

   • 2000, Justin Bacon, Re: Science Fiction (and Fantasy) Writers Wanted, rec.arts.sf.written,

     OK, an e-book needs a reader. A dead-tree book needs paper and bulky storage space.

   • 2005, Shmuel (Seymour J.) Metz, Dead tree?, alt.linux.suse,

     It used to be that SuSE Linux was available in personal and professional; editions, and that the Pro edition came with additional dead tree documentation.

Translations

Noun

dead tree ‎(plural dead trees)

1. A quantity of paper; a collection of paper such as a book or newspaper.
   • 1985 Jul 23: Thomas Johnsson, DECUS public domain C compiler: where can I get it? (signature), net.lang.c,

     Mail on dead trees: Dept. of CS, Chalmers University of Technology, S-412 96 Goteborg, Sweden

   • 1991 Oct 29: Daniel Mocsny, Re: Ecological Dependency, sci.environment,

     I wouldn't be surprised to hear of parents telling their children how we used to spend hundreds of watts to light a room, or how we drove 3000 kg vehicles to pick up a single newspaper printed on a dead tree, and so on.

   • 1995 Sep 15: Mountain Man, Re: Many worlds speculation--a complete waste of time, sci.physics,

     As usual, when I checked the page, it points to a dead tree with ink available at a cost.

   • 2003 May 16: yoodaw elder{:}child, Re: kjv #1? consider, alt.christnet,

     come out of this wicked, evil world and her seductive, dogmatic, heretical religious systems, all of whom seek to prove their righteousness by manipulating colored marks written on a dead tree.

2. A tree that is still standing, but no longer alive. (compare: log, stump)

Derived terms

• dead tree edition