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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 cm).
  3. a size of drawing or writing paper, 15.5 (39 cm) or 15 × 20 inches (38 × 51 cm) in England, 16 × 21 inches (41 × 53 cm) in the U.S.
  4. Also called demy octavo. a size of book, about 5.5 × 8.75 inches (14 × 48 cm), untrimmed. Abbreviation: demy 8vo
  5. Also called demy quarto. Chiefly British. a size of book, about 8.75 × 11 inches (22 × 28 cm), untrimmed. Abbreviation: demy 4to
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Origin of demy

1400–50; late Middle English demi, demy; see demi-
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for demy

Historical Examples of demy

  • Demy 8vo, with a number of Portraits and other Illustrations.

    In the Forbidden Land

    Arnold Henry Savage Landor

  • With Map and over 100 Illustrations, demy 8vo, cloth, price 24s.

    In the Forbidden Land

    Arnold Henry Savage Landor

  • Second edition, with 26 large Illustrations, demy 8vo, price 7s.

  • Sensitive, available for three weeks, 13s.: Size 17 by 11, demy folio.

  • In demy 4to, over 400 pages, cloth gilt and gilt edges, 31s.

British Dictionary definitions for demy

demy

noun plural -mies
    1. a size of printing paper, 17 1/2 by 22 1/2 inches (444.5 × 571.5 mm)
    2. 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)
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Word Origin for demy

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