WordGarden.iofoolscap
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /fˈuːlskæp/
US
- /ˈfuːl.skæp/countableuncountablenoun
Meanings
Noun
paper of a traditional large size, or a sheet of such paper
a book size based on foolscap paper
a cap or hood worn by a jester or, historically, by a punished student
Beyond the definition
Once upon a time, before A4 and Letter became common, there was foolscap. Despite the name, it was not an insult. It was a traditional size of writing paper, especially common in Britain and other places that followed British usage. The name came from an old watermark that showed a jester's cap.
Think of it as a taller cousin of modern office paper. A full sheet was often around 13 by 16 or 13.5 by 17 inches, and when folded it made the long, narrow page shape often linked with older legal papers and handwritten documents. If you were a clerk in the 19th century, you might well have spent your day writing on sheet after sheet of it.
Foolscap is a historical term for a traditional size of writing or printing paper. It was widely used for office work, schoolwork, manuscripts, and legal papers, especially in Britain and in countries influenced by British paper standards. The name did not come from "foolish" writing or scraps. It came from an early watermark that showed a fool's cap, meaning a jester's hat, printed into the paper.
The exact size varied by place and period. A full sheet was commonly about 13 by 16 inches or 13.5 by 17 inches. When folded, it produced a long page often called foolscap folio, roughly around 8 by 13 inches or 8.5 by 13.5 inches. That shape made it useful for formal writing and record-keeping, and it is one reason the word often appears in older books, archives, and legal contexts.
Today, the term feels old-fashioned in most everyday settings. As A4 and other modern standard sizes took over, foolscap became far less common. Now you are most likely to meet the word in classic literature, historical records, old office stories, or discussions of traditional stationery.
Examples
- 1
Legal records
The old court records were handwritten on foolscap.
- 2
Writing draft
She tore a sheet of foolscap from the pad and began her draft.
- 3
Manuscript archive
The manuscript survived as fifty pages of yellowing foolscap tied with string.
See also
Shades of meaning
- legal paper
- writing paper
Contrast
- A4
- letter paper
Used with (collocations)
- foolscap paper
- foolscap sheet
- foolscap folio
Explore
- paper size
- stationery
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- foolscapnoun