tabloid
A paper size 11 × 17 inches (279 × 432 millimetres) in dimensions.
tabloid: 11×17 inches of workaday newspaper stock
Tabloid is a sheet size measuring 11 by 17 inches, or 279 by 432 millimetres. In the printing trade, it sits between letter size (8.5×11 inches) and ledger or tabloid-max (11×17 inches as standard, though some presses accept slightly larger sheets). When folded in half, a tabloid sheet yields four pages of 5.5 by 8.5 inches each, which is why the format became the default for newspapers, newsletters, and compact periodicals.
The term originated in the newspaper industry, where it referred not merely to the size but to the condensed, sensational editorial approach of compact publications. However, the dimensional standard persists in modern printing as a fixed specification for digital and offset presses. Most four-colour offset presses and digital presses are designed to accommodate tabloid sheets natively, making it one of the most economical formats to run in volume.
Common applications and press compatibility
Tabloid paper runs on small-format sheetfed offset presses, duplicators, and many digital colour presses without cutting or trimming. A ream of 500 sheets of 80 gsm text-weight tabloid stock typically measures roughly 2 inches thick. Newspapers, supermarket circulars, bus shelter advertisements, and promotional brochures commonly use tabloid as their base stock before folding, binding, or cutting to final size.
The format's efficiency comes from standard cutting patterns. Two tabloid sheets nest neatly into a ledger sheet, and tabloid itself divides evenly into letter-size pages. This nesting reduces waste on cutting lines and speeds makeready time on finishing equipment. Bindery machinery, folder-inserters, and saddle-stitching equipment are routinely calibrated for tabloid dimensions as a baseline format.
When specifying tabloid work, note paper weight in gsm or basis weight, coating type (coated versus uncoated), and brightness grade if colour fidelity matters. Brightness affects how ink sits on the sheet and how text renders. Uncoated tabloid stock absorbs ink faster, suitable for newspaper; coated stock holds detail better for photographs and graphics. Envelope and label cutters must be reset between format changes, so batching all tabloid jobs together reduces downtime costs.