sixteenmo: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very Rare / ObsoleteSpecialized / Technical / Archaic
Quick answer
What does “sixteenmo” mean?
A book size where each sheet of paper is folded into sixteen leaves, resulting in thirty-two pages.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A book size where each sheet of paper is folded into sixteen leaves, resulting in thirty-two pages.
The term can refer to the book size itself or to a book printed in this format; historically used in printing and bookbinding.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both regions used the term historically in the printing trade.
Connotations
Connotes historical printing practices, antiquarian book collecting, or specialised bibliography in both regions.
Frequency
Extremely rare in modern usage in both varieties. May be slightly more encountered in British antiquarian contexts due to historical printing traditions.
Grammar
How to Use “sixteenmo” in a Sentence
[book/volume/edition] + in + sixteenmoa/an + [adjective] + sixteenmoVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sixteenmo” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The sixteenmo edition from 1820 is particularly scarce.
- It was a charming sixteenmo prayer book.
American English
- He collects American sixteenmo novels from the 19th century.
- The sixteenmo format made the book easily pocketable.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in historical bibliography, book history, or library science when describing specific editions.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
The primary context: printing, bookbinding, antiquarian bookselling (though now archaic).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sixteenmo”
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sixteenmo”
- Using it as a general word for 'sixteen'.
- Spelling it as 'sixteen-mo' (though hyphenated forms exist historically).
- Assuming it is a current, active term.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a highly specialised and now largely archaic term from the printing and bookbinding trades.
The '-mo' is an abbreviation from Latin, indicating 'a folding'. It signifies how many leaves are created from a single sheet of paper (e.g., octavo = 8 leaves, sixteenmo = 16 leaves).
It would sound anachronistic or overly technical. Today, you would describe the book by its physical dimensions (e.g., '10 cm tall') or simply as a 'small format' or 'pocket-sized' book.
They are synonyms, both meaning the same book size. 'Sextodecimo' is the more formal, Latin-derived term, while 'sixteenmo' is an Anglicised contraction. '16mo' is the common abbreviation for both.
A book size where each sheet of paper is folded into sixteen leaves, resulting in thirty-two pages.
Sixteenmo is usually specialized / technical / archaic in register.
Sixteenmo: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɪksˈtiːnməʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsɪksˈtiːnmoʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'SIXTEEN' pages are folded from ONE sheet to make a 'mo' (as in octave-mo, duo-decimo) book size.
Conceptual Metaphor
BOOK SIZE IS A RESULT OF FOLDING (The name describes the manufacturing process).
Practice
Quiz
In what field would you most likely encounter the term 'sixteenmo'?