foolscap

See also: fool's cap

English

WOTD – 1 April 2010

Etymology

Probably from a watermark of a fool's cap.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /ˈfuːl.skæp/, /ˈfuːlz.kæp/
• (Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈfʊl.skæp/, /ˈfoʊl.skæp/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

foolscap (plural foolscaps)

1. Alternative form of fool's cap
2. (strictly) Writing paper sheets measuring 13.25 x 16.5 inches
3. (more usually) Such a sheet folded or cut in half, thus approximately 8 x 13.25 inches.
   • 1892, Walter Besant, chapter II, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:

     At twilight in the summer there is never anybody to fear—man, woman, or cat—in the chambers and at that hour the mice come out. They do not eat parchment or foolscap or red tape, but they eat the luncheon crumbs.

4. Printing paper measuring 13.5 inches x 17 inches.

Derived terms

• double foolscap

Translations

fool's cap — see fool's cap

writing paper sheets measuring 13.25 x 16.5 inches

• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 夫士喼紙／夫士喼纸 (fu¹ si⁶ kep¹ zi²)

• Italian: foglio protocollo m
• Russian: (special) фулскап m (fulskap)

such a sheet folded or cut in half, thus approximately 8 x 13.25 inches

• Italian: foglio protocollo m

printing paper measuring 13.5 inches x 17 inches

See also

• legal
• quarto

References

• Michael Quinion (2004) “Foolscap”, in Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds: Ingenious Tales of Words and Their Origins, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books in association with Penguin Books, →ISBN.

• (A paper sizes): 2A0   A0   A1   A2   A3   A4   A5   A6   A7   A8   A9   A10