quire

¹

[ kwahyuhr ]

noun

1. a set of 24 uniform sheets of paper.
2. Bookbinding. a section of printed leaves in proper sequence after folding; gathering.

quire

²

[ kwahyuhr ]

noun

, quired, quir·ing.

1. Archaic. an archaic spelling of choir.

quire

¹

/ kwaɪə /

noun

1. an obsolete spelling of choir

quire

²

/ kwaɪə /

noun

1. a set of 24 or 25 sheets of paper; a twentieth of a ream
2. 1. four sheets of paper folded once to form a section of 16 pages
   2. a section or gathering
3. a set of all the sheets in a book

Word History and Origins

Origin of quire¹

1175–1225; Middle English quayer < Middle French quaier < Vulgar Latin *quaternum set of four sheets, derivative of Latin quarternī four each

Word History and Origins

Origin of quire¹

C15 quayer, from Old French quaier, from Latin quaternī four at a time, from quater four times

Example Sentences

Standing in the quire of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, he remembered his mother and offered his people comfort after a year of loss and upheaval.

From New York Times

The queen will be buried at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, which is next to the quire of the main St George's Chapel.

From Reuters

The queen’s Bentley will stop outside the Galilee Porch where she will be met by the dean of Windsor, David Conner, who will escort her to her seat in the quire of the Chapel.

From Reuters

The queen's Bentley will stop outside the Galilee Porch where she will be met by the dean of Windsor, David Conner, who will escort her to her seat in the quire of the Chapel.

From Reuters

He moves the pieces of the press around as he explains print jargon — “pieing,” “quire,” “furniture.”

From Washington Post

Related Words

• notebook
• notepad
• paper