Manuscript vs. Folio — What's the Difference?

A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in some indirect or automated way. More recently, the term has come to be understood to further include any written, typed, or word-processed copy of an author's work, as distinguished from its rendition as a printed version of the same.

The term "folio", from the Latin folium (leaf), has three interconnected but distinct meanings in the world of books and printing: it is firstly a term for a common method of arranging sheets of paper into book form, folding the sheet only once, and a term for a book made in this way; secondly it is a general term for a sheet, leaf or page in (especially) manuscripts and old books; and thirdly it is an approximate term for the size of a book, and for a book of this size. Firstly, a folio (abbreviated fo or 2°) is a book or pamphlet made up of one or more full sheets of paper, on each of which four pages of text are printed, two on each side; each sheet is then folded once to produce two leaves.

A book, document, or piece of music written by hand rather than typed or printed

A large sheet of paper folded once in the middle, making two leaves or four pages of a book or manuscript.

A handwritten book, poem, or other document, or a collection of such handwritten documents bound together

A book or manuscript of the largest common size, usually about 38 centimeters (15 inches) in height, consisting of such folded sheets.

A version of a book, article, or other work before being published or prepared for publication

A leaf of a book numbered only on the front side.

Handwriting, especially in contrast to print

A number on such a leaf.

Handwritten, or by extension manually typewritten, as opposed to being mechanically reproduced.

A page number.

A book, composition or any other document, written by hand (or manually typewritten), not mechanically reproduced.

(Law) A specific number of words used as a unit for measuring the length of the text of a legal document.

A single, original copy of a book, article, composition etc, written by hand or even printed, submitted as original for (copy-editing and) reproductive publication.

To number consecutively the pages or leaves of (a book, for example).

Written with or by the hand; not printed; as, a manuscript volume.

A leaf of a book or manuscript

An original literary or musical composition written by the author, formerly with the hand, now usually by typewriter or word processor. It is contrasted with a printed copy.

A page of a book, that is, one side of a leaf of a book.

Writing, as opposed to print; as, the book exists only in manuscript.

(printing) A page number. The even folios are on the left-hand pages and the odd folios on the right-hand pages.

The form of a literary work submitted for publication

(paper) A sheet of paper folded in half.

Handwritten book or document

(books) A book made of sheets of paper each folded in half (two leaves or four pages to the sheet); hence, a book of the largest kind, exceeding 30 cm in height.

(accounting) A page in an account book; sometimes, two opposite pages bearing the same serial number.

A leaf containing a certain number of words; hence, a certain number of words in a writing, as in England, in law proceedings 72, and in chancery, 90; in New York, 100 words.

A wrapper for loose papers.

To put a serial number on each folio or page of (a book); to page

A leaf of a book or manuscript.

A sheet of paper once folded.

A book made of sheets of paper each folded once (four pages to the sheet); hence, a book of the largest kind. See Note under Paper.

The page number. The even folios are on the left-hand pages and the odd folios on the right-hand.

A page of a book; (Bookkeeping) a page in an account book; sometimes, two opposite pages bearing the same serial number.

A leaf containing a certain number of words, hence, a certain number of words in a writing, as in England, in law proceedings 72, and in chancery, 90; in New York, 100 words.

To put a serial number on each folio or page of (a book); to page.

The system of numbering pages

A sheet of any written or printed material (especially in a manuscript or book)

A book (or manuscript) consisting of large sheets of paper folded in the middle to make two leaves or four pages;