noun
quire
KWIRE/ˈkwaɪər/
A set of paper sheets forming a single unit.
The paper sheets form a single quire arranged in five small fans.
Etymology
Quaternum named a set of four sheets of parchment or paper. The English word became a standard unit for selling paper, so its usual count of twenty-four or twenty-five no longer reflects the original four.
More examples
- She sets aside a quire of paper for handwritten invitations.
- Several quires come loose from the old book.
- Each quire contains twenty-five sheets of plain paper.
Forms
quire · quires