What is a tabloid?

In the newspaper industry, the term “tabloid” refers both to a specific type of newspaper, and to a specific paper size. Most laypeople think of a particular kind of publication when they hear the word “tabloid,” not realizing that the term was originally used in reference to paper size, and that the two concepts are actually very closely linked. In terms of paper size, a tabloid is about the size of a large magazine, with a depth of around 14 inches (36 centimeters) and a width of around 10 inches (25 centimeters). The tabloid is essentially half the size of the larger broadsheet format, making it much more compact and easy to handle. The precise paper size can very slightly, depending on the nation and the newspaper involved. The term originates in the marketing for medications in the 1800s. When medicine first began to be marketed in capsules rather than cumbersome bottles of loose powder and liquids, the capsules were known as “tabloids.” The tabloid or tablet was supposed to be ...  more