Definition
Recto and verso
Recto is the right-hand page of an open book (odd page numbers); verso is the left (even). Trade convention opens chapters on the recto, inserting a blank verso when needed.
The convention exists because the recto is where the eye lands when leafing through a book. Chapter openers on the recto — with the running head suppressed and often a drop folio — are one of the quiet signals separating professionally typeset books from word-processor exports. Page one of the text is always a recto.
Related tools & guides
Fix your Word document's formatting with AI
Veermat cleans up a messy .docx (headings, spacing, alignment, fonts, and lists) and returns a still-editable document. Your words never change.