sextodecimo
Definition
Noun (plural: sextodecimos or 16mo) A book size in which each leaf is one-sixteenth of a full sheet of paper, typically measuring about 4–5 inches (10–13 cm) in height. The term refers specifically to the format of a book where a single sheet of paper is folded four times to produce 16 leaves (32 pages).
Usage Examples
Advanced Usage
"to be in sextodecimo": to be published in the 16mo format.
- The early almanacs were commonly issued in sextodecimo. (They were printed in a small, compact size.)
"sextodecimo binding": the specific style of binding used for books of this size.
- The sextodecimo binding was often done in leather with gilt edges. (The binding was tailored to the small format.)
Variants and Related Words
- Sixteenmo (noun): an alternative name for sextodecimo, derived from "sixteen-mo" (16mo).
- The book was printed as a sixteenmo, identical in size to a sextodecimo.
- Duodecimo (noun): a book size one-twelfth of a sheet (12mo), slightly larger than sextodecimo.
- Duodecimo volumes are common in 18th-century literature.
- Octavo (noun): a book size one-eighth of a sheet (8vo), larger than sextodecimo.
Synonyms
- 16mo (abbreviation): the standard bibliographic notation for sextodecimo.
- Small format: a general term for books of diminutive size, often used interchangeably with sextodecimo in casual contexts.
Related Idioms
- "A sextodecimo gem": a small but valuable or beautifully made book.
- The rare poetry collection was a sextodecimo gem, prized by bibliophiles. (A tiny, exquisite book.)
Usage Instructions
- Use sextodecimo primarily in bibliographic, historical, or book-collecting contexts. It is a technical term and is rarely used in everyday conversation.
- When referring to the format in writing, the abbreviation 16mo is common, especially in library catalogs and publishing notes.