Meaning & use
legal size
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountableAmerican
A paper size, used mostly in North America, that is wider than a standard letter sheet and about three inches longer.
Grammar: Often used with a noun: legal size paper.
Patterns
- legal size paper
- print on legal size
The contract was printed on legal size paper.
Our printer can handle both letter and legal size.
She bought a box of legal size envelopes.
adjectivebefore a nounAmerican
Describing a document, folder or envelope made to fit that long paper size.
Grammar: Usually hyphenated before a noun: a legal-size folder.
Patterns
- legal-size folder
- legal-size envelope
Put the papers in a legal-size folder.
The cabinet drawers only fit legal-size files.
He needed legal-size paper for the form.
Common combinations
- legal size paper
- The printer ran out of legal size paper.
- legal size folder
- Keep the contract in a legal size folder.
- legal size envelope
- A legal size envelope is long and narrow.
- legal size file
- The cabinet takes legal size files.
- legal size tray
- Load the legal size tray with paper.
Synonyms and how they differ
- long paper
- Long paper is more informal and may include other sizes, while legal size means the specific 8.5 by 14 inch sheet.
- A4
- A4 is the international standard size, which is a different shape from legal size, narrower and shorter.
Opposites
Word family
- letter size noun
- the standard 8.5 by 11 inch paper size in North America
- legal pad noun
- a yellow pad of lined paper, traditionally used by lawyers
- size noun
- how big something is
Commonly confused: legal size or letter size?
legal size vs letter size
Letter size is shorter at 11 inches, while legal size is 14 inches.
Practice
Which paper size is longer?
Choose one answer.
Legal size is 14 inches long, compared with 11 for letter size.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “legal size”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.