noun
dossier
DAW-see-ay/ˈdɔːsieɪ/
A collection of documents about a person, subject, or case.
The open dossier contains photographs, a site map, and building drawings.
Etymology
French dossier, “bundle of papers,” derives from a word for “back.” Supposedly this referred to a label on the bundle’s back; alternatively, it may have described the bundled papers’ resemblance to a curved back.
In context
the dossier of the great criminal to be brought to him. In a few moments a clerk entered bearing three formidable portfolios full of reports, photographs, lists of stolen jewellery
More examples
- Investigators compile a dossier on each suspect.
- The research team maintains a dossier on local water pollution.
- These dossiers contain witness statements and copies of the contracts.
Forms
dossier · dossiers
documentation noun — Documents that provide information or evidence.
Similar words
- file
- A broader term for stored papers or digital records.
- archive
- Usually a larger collection preserved for long-term historical reference.