[English reading of the symbol 32mo or XXXIImo, for L. (in) tricesimo secundo: cf. twelvemo, sixteenmo.] The size of a book, or of a leaf of a book, formed of sheets each folded five times, making thirty-two leaves; hence, a book of this size. Also Thirty-twos. So Thirtysixmo (thirty-sixes).
1771. Luckombe, Hist. Print., 493. Sixteens, Twenty-fours, Thirty-two’s, are but the Octavo’s and Twelves doubled, or twice doubled and Imposed in Half Sheets. Ibid., 424. A half sheet of thirty-six’s without cutting.
1787. Smith’s Printer’s Gram., 210. A Sheet of Thirty-twos, with Four Signatures.
1841. Savage, Dict. Printing, 796. A sheet of paper folded into thirty-six leaves, seventy-two pages, is termed thirty-sixmo…, a sheet of paper folded into thirty-two leaves, sixty-four pages, is termed thirty-twomo.
