Home UK English red-taper

Meaning of red-taper in English:

red-taper

Pronunciation /ˌrɛdˈteɪpə/

noun

derogatory

  • A person who adheres strictly or mechanistically to official rules and formalities; a bureaucrat.

Origin

Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881), prime minister and novelist. From red tape + -er.