Brief

The Brief paper size has compact dimensions of 13.5 inches (343 mm) wide by 16 inches (406 mm) high, giving it a modest total surface area of 216 square inches. With its smaller, squarish proportions, Brief sheets are best suited to more concise documents and publications not needing expansive spreads. Given its name implying condensed brevity, historically Brief paper was widely utilized for legal briefs, treatises, pamphlets and other short publications where minimal pages were required to concisely state arguments or points. Its small yet rectangular shape also made Brief pages ideal for personal stationery, compact envelopes, index cards, flash cards and recipe cards needing only limited space while still allowing comfortable legibility. Unlike some other imperial paper sizes stemming from much larger master sheets, Brief's origins and legacy have always been as a petite format intended for diminutive but important purposes where minimal area would suffice. So whether for tersely worded legal briefs or study flash cards, Brief's compact rectangular form factor fills a niche for little yet practical paper applications.