Wallpaper is decorative paper or fabric that covers the walls of a room. Instead of painting walls a solid color, people paste wallpaper onto them to add patterns, textures, or images. You might see wallpaper with stripes, flowers, geometric designs, or even scenes like forests or city skylines.

For hundreds of years, wallpaper was a way to make rooms feel more elegant and interesting. In the 1700s and 1800s, wealthy families decorated their homes with elaborate wallpaper featuring birds, trees, or fancy patterns. Some historic wallpapers were hand-painted or printed with expensive gold ink. Today, wallpaper comes in thousands of styles, from simple and modern to ornate and traditional.

The word also refers to the background image on a computer or phone screen. When you choose a wallpaper for your device, you're picking what you'll see behind your apps and icons, just like wallpaper sits behind the furniture and pictures in a room.

In both cases, wallpaper creates atmosphere and personality. A room's wallpaper might feel cozy, formal, playful, or sophisticated. Your device's wallpaper might show your favorite sports team, a beautiful landscape, or a photo of your family.