sticky notes
STIK-ee NOHTS
/ˈstɪki noʊts/
Small pieces of paper with a strip of reusable, low-tack adhesive on the back, designed for temporary attachment to documents, walls, or other surfaces.
Highlights their temporary nature and versatility for reminders, bookmarks, or quick messages without damaging surfaces.
The story behind the word. The name 'sticky notes' is wonderfully descriptive: 'sticky' comes from Old English sticcan meaning 'to pierce' or 'to adhere,' evolving to describe something adhesive. 'Notes' comes from the Latin notare, meaning 'to mark' or 'to make a sign.' These ingenious little squares were famously invented by accident at 3M, when a scientist developed a 'low-tack' adhesive that could be repositioned, and a colleague later realized its potential for bookmarking and leaving messages.
Word relationships
- post-it notes: A widely recognized brand name that has become genericized for sticky notes.
Word family
- sticky (adjective): Having the property of adhering to surfaces.
- note (noun): A brief record of facts, topics, or thoughts.
Collocations
- pad of sticky notes
- colorful sticky notes
- leave a sticky note
- post-it notes (brand name)
Example sentences
- "She left a stack of sticky notes on her colleague's desk with reminders about the upcoming project deadlines." Office communication
- "My monitor is covered in colorful sticky notes, each one a small task I need to remember to complete today." Personal organization
Memory hook
They are STICKY and you write NOTES on them. Stick-on notes.
When not to use
For permanent labeling (the adhesive may weaken) or for securing important documents together (they are not strong enough).
Fun facts
- The invention of the Post-it Note (a type of sticky note) is attributed to Spencer Silver (who invented the adhesive) and Art Fry (who found a use for it) at 3M in the 1970s.
- The adhesive is designed to be pressure-sensitive and reusable, allowing the notes to be removed without damaging the surface.
Explore more words
adhesive, ephemera, highlighter, single-use, whiteboard, swab
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