Fe
Fe (noun) means a librarians' size code for a book roughly 7.5 to 10 cm tall — one forty-eighth of a standard printing sheet. Example: “The catalogue listed the pocket edition as an "fe" — barely bigger than a matchbox.”
How to use Fe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA technical library/publishing size label for a very small book, not a word you'll hear in conversation.
Don't confuse with the chemical symbol Fe for iron — different field, different capitalisation convention entirely.
Word forms
Fes plural
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The catalogue listed the pocket edition as an "_____" — barely bigger than a matchbox.
Etymology
Short for "forty-eighth," referring to a book cut from one forty-eighth of a full printer's sheet — the smallest standard sizing code.
Synonyms
View more →Frequently asked questions
What does “Fe” mean?
The word “Fe” means a librarians' size code for a book roughly 7.5 to 10 cm tall — one forty-eighth of a standard printing sheet. In plain terms, a technical library/publishing size label for a very small book, not a word you'll hear in conversation.
How do you use “Fe” in a sentence?
Here is “Fe” used in a sentence: “The catalogue listed the pocket edition as an "fe" — barely bigger than a matchbox.”
What part of speech is “Fe”?
“Fe” is a noun.
Is “Fe” a common word?
“Fe” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between 'Fe' as a book size and 'Fe' as a chemical symbol?
In librarianship, 'Fe' is a size code for a small book roughly 7.5 to 10 cm tall. Separately, 'Fe' is the chemical symbol for iron; the two abbreviations are unrelated.
How big is a book with the size code 'Fe'?
A book marked 'Fe' stands roughly 7.5 to 10 centimetres tall. This makes it one of the smaller book formats, equal to one forty-eighth of a standard printing sheet.
What does the book size 'Fe' stand for?
'Fe' is the librarians' code for the forty-eightmo format, a book made by folding a printing sheet into forty-eight leaves. The result is a very small volume about 7.5 to 10 cm tall.
Is 'Fe' a large or a small book size?
'Fe' denotes a small book format, roughly 7.5 to 10 cm tall and equal to one forty-eighth of a standard printing sheet. It is among the smaller sizes libraries catalogue.