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I would like to know if there is a common alternative word/expression for the "company stationery", the paper with the company's printed letterhead, in British English.

I am wondering that there are so much words for other things, similar in meaning, but for an essential paper (cover) with printed company logo/head there is only the word "letterhead" which exactly seen, is a part/element of the letter. In Germany we say: Geschäftsbogen, Firmenbogen, often Firmenpapier and Firmenblatt.

Letterhead is the head of the letter, referring to the layout and elements of a letter, but not the whole paper.

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    Indeed, "letterhead" is used synecdochally with this meaning.
    – Chemomechanics
    Feb 21, 2018 at 0:18
  • Letterhead is the head of the letter, but not the whole paper. Referring to the layout and elements of a letter.
    – FrankMK
    Feb 21, 2018 at 0:21
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    Yeah,"company letterhead" would be a hair more idiomatic in the US. Though it is used by extension on any document with the company's approval, even if not on physical paper.
    – Hot Licks
    Feb 21, 2018 at 0:24
  • "Letterhead", it is true refers just to the head of the letter. But the term "a piece/sheet of letterhead" would refer to the whole paper. And in answer to your question "the Company letterhead", is how you describe the principal stationery of the company. "He wrote to me on Company letterhead saying I was to get a salary increase".
    – WS2
    Feb 22, 2018 at 0:11
  • noun 1. a printed heading on stationery, especially one giving the name and address of a business concern, an institution, etc. 2. a sheet of paper with such a heading
    – KarlG
    Feb 22, 2018 at 0:58

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Yes, just referring to the company stationery would refer to anything from thumbtacks to laminating sleeves.

There's no term I know of for the particular piece of paper. One reason I can think of this is that the letterhead is often different for the first page than it is for the followers.

Letterhead is just as common in the British speaking world and if expressed as "... printed on the company letterhead", the paper on which the letterhead is printed would be implicitly understood. If you want to go to more effort (and ISO900x likes businesses to be process oriented), having a set of work instructions detailing how to go about printing according to the standardised method at the company would be useful (but a bit of overkill for addressing just the scope of this question).

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  • Yes, i completely agree. But i am wondering that there are so much words for other things, similar in meaning. But for an essential paper (cover) with printed company logo/head there is only the word "letterhead" which exactly seen, is a part/element of the letter. In Germany we say: Geschäftsbogen, Firmenbogen, often Firmenpapier and Firmenblatt.
    – FrankMK
    Feb 21, 2018 at 1:47
  • I have found "headed paper".
    – FrankMK
    Feb 21, 2018 at 2:16
  • German does seem richer in prefixes. I have studied a bit of Russian and seen similar differences. It always struck me that Russian is like a blueprint whereas English is like an oil painting. In Russian, expression is deepened by precision, whereas in English it is added by elaboration.
    – Paul Childs
    Feb 21, 2018 at 3:48
  • Generally good answer, but remember the spelling of "stationery". Spell it with an "a", and it becomes a non-moving object. Remember it's "a - as in automobile, e-as in envelope".
    – WS2
    Feb 22, 2018 at 0:14

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