# folio

/ˈfoʊˌɫioʊ/ (US) · /fˈəʊlɪˌəʊ/ (UK) · CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/folio
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

a large sheet of paper folded once to make two leaves of a book. It also refers to a book made of these large pages, which is usually very big and heavy.

For teachers: a leaf of a manuscript or book, consisting of two pages (recto and verso). Often refers to a book format where sheets are folded once, resulting in a large physical volume.

## Examples

- The librarian carefully turned the fragile folio.
- Scholars traveled from across the country to examine the original Shakespeare folio kept in the university's special collection.
- The manuscript is organized by folio number rather than page number, a common practice in archival research when dealing with historical documents that predate modern printing standards.

## Usage notes

- In modern accounting or law, it may refer to a page number in a ledger or a specific case file.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.