A ream of paper is a standard quantity of paper that typically contains 500 sheets of the same size and quality. It is widely used in the paper industry and is considered the industry standard. The term "ream" is derived from Old French and Spanish, and it refers to a bundle of paper. The international standard for a ream is 500 identical sheets, although historically, the number of sheets in a ream has varied based on the size and quality of the paper. The ream is used as a measure for paper quantity and is commonly sold in retail outlets as a pack of 500 sheets. It is important to note that certain types of specialist papers, such as tissue paper, greaseproof paper, handmade paper, and blotting paper, may be sold in "short" reams of 480 sheets, but the commercial use of the word "ream" for quantities of paper other than 500 is now deprecated by standards such as ISO 4046.
In summary, a ream of paper is a standardized quantity of paper, typically containing 500 sheets of the same size and quality, and it is widely used in the paper industry as a measure for paper quantity.
