Definition
A section of the phone book or a separate directory printed on yellow paper that listed businesses organized by type of service or product. It was the primary way people found local plumbers, restaurants, electricians, and other service providers before online search engines.
Example Usage
Need a pizza delivery? Check the Yellow Pages under "Restaurants" or "Pizza."
Origin
First published in 1886 in Cheyenne, Wyoming; the yellow paper was originally a practical color choice when standard paper ran out during printing.
Fun Fact
The Yellow Pages brand became so iconic that the phonebook-sized directory continued to be distributed decades after becoming largely irrelevant due to the internet.
Source: Definition backfill (hailey)
Related Terms
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