octavo

[ok-tey-voh, -tah-]

noun

plural

octavos 

1. a book size of about 6 × 9 inches (16 × 23 centimeters), determined by printing on sheets folded to form 8 leaves or 16 pages. 8vo, 8°

2. a book of this size.

adjective

1. in octavo.

octavo

/ ɒkˈteɪvəʊ /

noun

1. Often written: 8vo.  8°. Also called: eightvo. a book size resulting from folding a sheet of paper of a specified size to form eight leaves

   demi-octavo

2. a book of this size

3. (formerly) a size of cut paper 8 inches by 5 inches (20.3 cm by 12.7 cm)

Word History and Origins

Origin of octavo¹

First recorded in 1575–85; short for New Latin in octāvō “in an eighth (of a sheet)”

Word History and Origins

Origin of octavo¹

C16: from New Latin phrase in octavo in an eighth (of a whole sheet)

Example Sentences

However, demand was fully re-established in the decade 1600-1609, and not just for the new more complex commentaries such as that of Clavius, published in fat quartos, but also for cheap octavo editions.

Read more on Literature

“Who, indeed, but a woman,” wrote one reviewer, “could have ventured, with the smallest prospect of success, to fill three octavo volumes with the history of a woman’s heart?”

Read more on The Guardian

These books were produced in a handy, pocket-sized octavo format that is still a standard today.

Read more on New York Times

The Hollywood Reporter cover isn’t about getting together an octavo of actresses for a girl talk.

Read more on Salon

Of the octavo de finals, this one is the biggest mismatch on paper.

Read more on New York Times

Related Words

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