quire

Meaning

Noun

1. One-twentieth of a ream of paper; a collection of twenty-four or twenty-five sheets of paper of the same size and quality, unfolded or having a single fold.
2. A set of leaves which are stitched together, originally a set of four pieces of paper (eight leaves, sixteen pages). This is most often a single signature (i.e. group of four), but may be several nested signatures.
3. A book, poem, or pamphlet.

Verb

To prepare quires by stitching together leaves of paper.

Verb

To sing in concert.

Synonyms

book

📖

chancel

choir

gathering

text

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈkwaɪ.ə(ɹ)/

Etymology

From Middle English quayer, from Anglo-Norman quaier and Old French quaer, from Latin quaternus (“fourfold”), from quater (“four times”). Doublet of cahier.