Equity and Comprehensive Income (Loss) - Summary of Changes in Equity (Detail) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2017	Jan. 31, 2016
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 957.9	$ 1,059.9
Net income (loss)	8.0	(9.9)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation	(9.2)	(28.3)
Interest rate derivative	4.6	0.0
Minimum pension liability adjustment, net of income tax expense (benefit)	28.1	1.9
Comprehensive income (loss)	31.5	(36.3)
Mark to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest	0.0
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(22.0)
Net income allocated to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(1.0)
Other	0.1	(0.4)
Dividends paid to Greif, Inc. shareholders	(24.5)	(24.5)
Dividends to noncontrolling interests	(0.3)
Long-term incentive shares issued	1.5	1.1
Ending balance	965.2	958.1
Out of Period
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Mark to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(19.8)
Current Period
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Mark to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		0.1
Capital Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 141.4	$ 139.1
Beginning balance (shares)	47,792	47,814
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Long-term incentive shares issued	$ 1.5	$ 1.0
Long-term incentive shares issued (shares)	29	41
Ending balance	$ 142.9	$ 140.1
Ending balance (shares)	47,821	47,855
Treasury Stock
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ (135.6)	$ (130.6)
Beginning balance (shares)	29,050	29,028
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Long-term incentive shares issued	$ 0.0	$ 0.1
Long-term incentive shares issued (shares)	(29)	(41)
Ending balance	$ (135.6)	$ (130.5)
Ending balance (shares)	29,021	28,987
Retained Earnings
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	$ 1,340.0	$ 1,384.5
Net income (loss)	5.4	(11.1)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interest		1.2
Dividends paid to Greif, Inc. shareholders	(24.5)	(24.5)
Ending balance	1,320.9	1,330.4
Retained Earnings | Out of Period
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Mark to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(19.8)
Retained Earnings | Current Period
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Mark to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		0.1
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	(398.4)	(377.4)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation	(7.5)	(24.7)
Interest rate derivative	4.6
Minimum pension liability adjustment, net of income tax expense (benefit)	28.1	1.9
Ending balance	(373.2)	(400.2)
Non controlling interests
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	10.5	44.3
Net income (loss)	2.6	1.2
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation	(1.7)	(3.6)
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(23.2)
Net income allocated to redeemable noncontrolling interests	(1.0)
Other	0.1	(0.4)
Dividends to noncontrolling interests	(0.3)
Ending balance	10.2	18.3
Greif, Inc. Equity
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	947.4	1,015.6
Net income (loss)	5.4	(11.1)
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation	(7.5)	(24.7)
Interest rate derivative	4.6
Minimum pension liability adjustment, net of income tax expense (benefit)	28.1	1.9
Comprehensive income (loss)	30.6	(33.9)
Reclassification of redeemable noncontrolling interest		1.2
Dividends paid to Greif, Inc. shareholders	(24.5)	(24.5)
Long-term incentive shares issued	1.5	1.1
Ending balance	$ 955.0	939.8
Greif, Inc. Equity | Out of Period
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Mark to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		(19.8)
Greif, Inc. Equity | Current Period
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Mark to redemption value of redeemable noncontrolling interest		$ 0.1