folio

[ foh-lee-oh ]

noun

, plural fo·li·os.

1. a sheet of paper folded once to make two leaves, or four pages, of a book or manuscript.
2. a volume having pages of the largest size, formerly made from such a sheet.
3. a leaf of a manuscript or book numbered only on the front side.
4. a case that, when closed, covers and protects both the screen and the back panel of a mobile device, as a tablet or smartphone.
5. Printing.
   1. (in a book) the number of each page.
   2. (in a newspaper) the number of each page together with the date and the name of the newspaper.
6. Bookkeeping. a page of an account book or a left-hand page and a right-hand page facing each other and having the same serial number.
7. Law. a certain number of words, in the U.S. generally 100, taken as a unit for computing the length of a document.

adjective

1. pertaining to or having the format of a folio:

   a folio volume.

verb (used with object)

, fo·li·oed, fo·li·o·ing.

1. to number each leaf or page of.
2. Law. to mark each folio in (a pleading or the like) with the proper number.

folio

/ ˈfəʊlɪəʊ /

noun

1. a sheet of paper folded in half to make two leaves for a book or manuscript
2. a book or manuscript of the largest common size made up of such sheets
3. a leaf of paper or parchment numbered on the front side only
4. a page number in a book
5. law a unit of measurement of the length of legal documents, determined by the number of words, generally 72 or 90 in Britain and 100 in the US
6. a collection of related material

adjective

1. relating to or having the format of a folio

   a folio edition

verb

1. tr to number the leaves of (a book) consecutively

Word History and Origins

Origin of folio¹

1525–35; < Latin foliō (originally in phrase in foliō in a leaf, sheet), ablative of folium folium

Word History and Origins

Origin of folio¹

C16: from Latin phrase in foliō in a leaf, from folium leaf

Example Sentences

They’ll be kicking themselves because somewhere in the fine print or in their hotel folio, the mandatory extras were disclosed.

From Seattle Times

His satchel is stuffed with sealed letters, scouting reports from surrounding outposts, receipts of sale, and several leather folios engraved with the crest of local magistrates, bound for the Capital King of Samarkand.

From Literature

The event on Wednesday in London was part of ongoing celebrations marking 400 years since the Bard's first folio.

From BBC

First folios have been on exhibit everywhere from the British Museum to the New York Public Library and at least two major book projects will mark the anniversary.

From Seattle Times

Another chapter patiently explains, with illustrations, the process of printing a large folio.

From Washington Post

Related Words

• album
• booklet
• brochure
• copy
• dictionary
• edition
• essay
• fiction
• magazine
• manual
• novel
• pamphlet
• paperback
• publication
• text
• textbook
• tome
• volume
• work
• writing