What Is a Quirie? Meaning, Origins, and Usage Explained
The Definition of a Quirie
A quirie is a somewhat obscure term that refers to a set or bundle of paper sheets, usually made up of 24 or 25 sheets. In historical contexts, particularly in printing or manuscript work, a quirie was used to organize pages in manageable units. Think of it as a building block for a full book or folio.
In older English (sometimes spelled “quire”), it had very specific use in papermaking and printing—kinda like saying “ream” today, which is 500 sheets. But a quirie is the smaller unit.
Some folks also use “quirie” as a variant spelling of “query,” though that’s technically incorrect in modern English. So yeah, one letter makes a big difference.
Where Does the Word Quirie Come From?
Origins in Latin and French
The word has deep roots. It likely evolved from the Latin quaterni, meaning “set of four.” Then it passed into Old French as quaier or quayer, before arriving in Middle English as quire.
Originally, a quire referred to four folded sheets of parchment or paper, making eight leaves or sixteen pages (if you count both sides). But over time, the number standardized to 24 or 25 sheets per quirie, especially in the paper industry.
Honestly, it gets a little messy with the numbers. Some sources say 24 sheets is the “printer’s quirie,” while 25 is the “stationer’s quirie.” Go figure.
Wait... isn’t it spelled "quire"?
Good catch. The standard spelling is "quire" in most dictionaries. “Quirie” is a less common variant—some might call it archaic or even a typo. But you’ll still find “quirie” in older documents or informal texts, especially from the 17th–19th centuries.
So if you stumbled upon it while reading an old manuscript or browsing an antique ledger, you’re not imagining things.
How Is a Quirie Used Today?
Mostly historical, but still relevant
In modern daily life? You probably won’t hear the term often—unless you’re in publishing, archival work, or studying old texts. But in those circles, it still pops up.
For example:
Bookbinders might still refer to quires when sewing folded sections together.
Archivists may catalog pages in quires.
Historians might analyze manuscripts “by quirie” to understand how they were constructed.
I remember a uni professor ranting for a full 20 minutes about how a misnumbered quirie led to a lost sermon in a medieval text. Nerdy? Yeah. But fascinating.
Common Confusions: Quirie vs. Query
Okay, this trips people up all the time.
Query = a question, or a request (esp. in tech and databases)
Quirie = a historical bundle of paper (or a variant spelling, rarely used)
So don’t ask your IT department to "run a quirie" unless you want blank stares. Unless they’re also book nerds, then... maybe you’ll bond.
Final Thoughts: A Quirie Is a Slice of Bookish History
To wrap it up: a quirie is an old-school term for a bundle of 24–25 sheets of paper, mainly used in printing and manuscript work. It’s not common in daily speech today, but it still holds a place in historical and publishing circles.
And hey, next time you’re holding a fancy old book, you might just impress someone by saying, “Ah yes, this was likely sewn together in quires.” Just don’t overdo it. Nobody likes a pedantic quirie-dropper.
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Yes it is. Average height of male in India is 166.3 cm (i.e. 5 ft 5.5 inches) while for female it is 152.6 cm (i.e. 5 ft) approximately. So, as far as your question is concerned, aforesaid height is above average in both cases.
Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?
The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.
Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?
How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).
How tall is a average 15 year old?
Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years
| Male Teens: 13 - 20 Years) | ||
|---|---|---|
| 14 Years | 112.0 lb. (50.8 kg) | 64.5" (163.8 cm) |
| 15 Years | 123.5 lb. (56.02 kg) | 67.0" (170.1 cm) |
| 16 Years | 134.0 lb. (60.78 kg) | 68.3" (173.4 cm) |
| 17 Years | 142.0 lb. (64.41 kg) | 69.0" (175.2 cm) |
How to get taller at 18?
Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.
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Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).
Can you grow between 16 and 18?
Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.
Can you grow 1 cm after 17?
Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.