crown quarto: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1-C2Technical / Academic / Publishing
Quick answer
What does “crown quarto” mean?
A standard size for a book, specifically a sheet of paper folded twice to make four leaves (eight pages), typically measuring approximately 189 × 246 mm (7.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A standard size for a book, specifically a sheet of paper folded twice to make four leaves (eight pages), typically measuring approximately 189 × 246 mm (7.44 × 9.69 in).
The book format itself, especially used in the publishing and printing industries for novels, reports, and academic monographs. It is smaller than royal quarto and larger than foolscap quarto.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used identically in both varieties as a technical publishing standard. The size is defined in metric (mm) in the UK and may also be given in imperial inches in the US.
Connotations
None; purely technical.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialised in both regions, confined to publishing, printing, library science, and bibliographic contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “crown quarto” in a Sentence
[verb] + in + crown quarto (e.g., publish, print, produce)crown quarto + [noun] (e.g., crown quarto book, crown quarto pamphlet)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “crown quarto” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The crown-quarto pamphlet was found in the archive.
- They ordered crown-quarto bindings for the series.
American English
- The crown-quarto specifications were sent to the printer.
- It was a crown-quarto journal from the 1920s.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
In publishing house specifications and print procurement: 'The print run will be 2000 copies in crown quarto.'
Academic
In library catalogues, bibliographies, and descriptions of historical books: 'The 1853 edition is a crown quarto in original cloth.'
Everyday
Extremely rare; a general reader would simply say 'a medium-sized hardback'.
Technical
The precise term in printing, bookbinding, and bibliographic description.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “crown quarto”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “crown quarto”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “crown quarto”
- Using 'crown' as an adjective describing the book's quality (e.g., 'the crown achievement') instead of its size.
- Writing 'crown quarter'.
- Confusing it with 'crown octavo', which is a smaller format.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a specialised term used almost exclusively within publishing, printing, librarianship, and book collecting.
Not precisely. 'Quarto' is a general category. 'Crown quarto' specifies the exact starting size of the paper sheet ('crown'), leading to a specific final book dimension.
It allows for precise communication about the physical size and construction of a book between publishers, printers, binders, librarians, and booksellers.
Slightly. Standard A4 is 210 × 297 mm, which is taller and narrower. Crown quarto (approx. 189 × 246 mm) is more square-shaped and has a smaller page area.
A standard size for a book, specifically a sheet of paper folded twice to make four leaves (eight pages), typically measuring approximately 189 × 246 mm (7.
Crown quarto is usually technical / academic / publishing in register.
Crown quarto: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkraʊn ˈkwɔːtəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkraʊn ˈkwɔːrtoʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a royal CROWN sitting on top of a book that is a QUARTER of the size of a huge poster. Crown Quarto = a regal-sounding name for a medium-sized book format.
Conceptual Metaphor
BOOK FORMATS ARE HIERARCHIES (crown, royal, imperial suggest ranks).
Practice
Quiz
In which industry is the term 'crown quarto' primarily used?