English

Noun

rejection slip ‎(plural rejection slips)

1. (publishing) A standardized message notifying an author that his or her work has not been accepted for publication, ordinarily printed on a small piece of paper and attached to the returned manuscript.
   • 1909, Jack London, Martin Eden, ch. 11:

     The rejection slip was so tactfully worded that he felt kindly toward the editor.

   • 1922, F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Beautiful and Damned, ch. 3:

     The editor . . . returned the manuscript with a rejection slip. Anthony sent it off elsewhere and began another story.

   • 2002 April 14, Frank McCourt, "Reflections on Creative Writing Class," New York Times (retrieved 18 Aug 2015):

     I told my writers . . . by the end of the term they'd have to bring in either a rejection slip or a check from a publisher.

Usage notes

• Use of this term has decreased with the increase in electronic communication.

See also

• form letter