The various sizes of English paper (many of which included half- and quarter-inches) bore names like foolscap, hand, pot, and double elephant. Many of the names came from medieval watermarking ...

Paper coming in at 8.5 inches by 11 inches fit the bill—or, in this case, the typewriter. The size allows for a comfortable 65 to 78 characters per 6.5 inches per type, which is what you get ...

Microsoft Word's default page size is 8.5 by 11 inches, or "letter size," which is the most common size in American offices. ... Click "More Paper Sizes" to open the Page Setup dialog box.

U.S. sizes are much more casual: The most common are Letter, Legal, Half-Letter, and Junior Legal, plus one informally called “pocket-sized.” Letter is your typical 8.5-by-11-inch paper, and ...