quire

1 of 2

noun

ˈkwī(-ə)r 

: a collection of 24 or sometimes 25 sheets of paper of the same size and quality : one twentieth of a ream

quire

2 of 2

archaic spelling of choir

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English quair four sheets of paper folded once, collection of sheets, from Anglo-French quaier, from Vulgar Latin *quaternum set of four, from Latin quaterni four each, set of four — more at quaternion

First Known Use

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above