Definition

Noun: - A standard size for a book or publication, created by folding a full sheet of paper twice, resulting in four leaves (eight pages). It is often used to describe antiquarian books, prints, or specific modern publications. The term is an abbreviation of "quarto."

Usage

The term "4to" is primarily used in bibliographic descriptions, book collecting, printing, and cataloging to specify the physical format and size of a book. It indicates how the original paper sheets were folded and bound.

Examples

• The rare manuscript was a 4to, making it a desirable item for collectors.
• Most of the early Shakespeare editions were printed in 4to.
• The library's special collection includes several important 4to volumes from the 17th century.

Advanced Usage

• In detailed catalog entries, "4to" is often used alongside other abbreviations like "folio" or "octavo" to precisely describe a book's format.
• The term can be used attributively (e.g., "a 4to volume") or as a noun (e.g., "bound in 4to").

Variants and Related Words

• Quarto: The full, non-abbreviated term for the same book size. "4to" is the standard abbreviation for "quarto."
• Folio: A larger book size made by folding a sheet once, creating two leaves.
• Octavo (8vo): A smaller book size made by folding a sheet three times, creating eight leaves.

Synonyms

• Quarto
• 4° (an alternative symbolic notation)

Notes

• "4to" is a technical term from the book trade and printing history. It is not commonly used in everyday language.
• The actual dimensions of a 4to book can vary depending on the original size of the sheet of paper used (e.g., crown quarto, demy quarto).

Noun

1. the size of a book whose pages are made by folding a sheet of paper twice to form four leaves