demy

[ dih-mahy ]
noun,plural de·mies.

  1. a foundation scholar at Magdalen College, Oxford: so called because such a scholar originally received half the allowance of a fellow.

  2. (in England) a size of printing paper, 17.5 × 22.5 inches (44 × 57 centimeters).

  1. a size of drawing or writing paper, 15.5 (39 centimeters) or 15 × 20 inches (38 × 51 centimeters) in England, 16 × 21 inches (41 × 53 centimeters) in the U.S.

  2. Also called de·my oc·ta·vo [dih-mahyok-tey-voh, -tah-] /dɪˈmaɪ ɒkˈteɪ voʊ, -ˈtɑ-/ . a size of book, about 5.5 × 8.75 inches (14 × 48 centimeters), untrimmed. Abbreviation: demy 8vo

  3. Also called de·my quar·to [dih-mahy-kwawr-toh] /dɪˈmaɪ ˈkwɔr toʊ/ .Chiefly British. a size of book, about 8.75 × 11 inches (22 × 28 centimeters), untrimmed. Abbreviation: demy 4to

Origin of demy

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English demi, demy; see demi-

Words Nearby demy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use demy in a sentence

  • I filled two or three sheets of demy writing-paper, folded in octavo, with these memorandums.

    Caleb Williams | William Godwin

British Dictionary definitions for demy

demy

/ (dɪˈmaɪ) /

nounplural -mies

    • a size of printing paper, 17 1/2 by 22 1/2 inches (444.5 × 571.5 mm)

    • a size of writing paper, 15 1/2 by 20 inches (Brit) (393.7 × 508 mm) or 16 by 21 inches (US) (406.4 × 533.4 mm)

  2. either one of two book sizes, 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches (demy octavo) or (chiefly Brit) 11 3/4 by 8 5/8 inches (demy quarto)

Origin of demy

1
C16: see demi-

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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