bestseller

or best sell·er

[ best-sel-er ]

noun

1. a book that is among those having the largest sales during a given period.
2. any product that among those of its kind is selling particularly well at a given time:

   This car was a bestseller last year.

bestseller

/ ˌbɛstˈsɛlə /

noun

1. a book, record, CD, or other product that has sold in great numbers, esp over a short period
2. the author of one or more such books, etc

Derived Forms

• ˌbestˈselling, adjective

Other Words From

• bestseller·dom noun
• best-selling adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bestseller¹

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90; best + seller

Example Sentences

Her books have climbed to the top of bestseller lists, even though they aren’t yet commercially available.

From Washington Post

In her book, Doughty talks about Jessica Mitford’s The American Way of Death, a 1963 exposé of the funeral industry that became a surprise bestseller.

From Freakonomics

Even though the 1983 novel — the basis for the hit Netflix miniseries — has recently become a paperback bestseller, the name of its author isn’t half as well known as it should be.

From Washington Post

He is the author of six novels, including the international bestseller Einstein’s Dreams, as well as The Diagnosis, a finalist for the National Book Award.

From Nautilus

It’s nothing new to see women underrepresented on these business bestseller lists—and the problem is getting worse.

From Fortune

The Plot Against America was his first novel to land on the bestseller list in 17 years.

From The Daily Beast

His book, ‘Ebola Survival Handbook,’ is already a bestseller.

From The Daily Beast

For most authors, just getting on any bestseller list would be a huge victory.

From The Daily Beast

The tape was a bestseller, and the rest, as they say, is history.

From The Daily Beast

The book got awful reviews even as it topped The New York Times bestseller list.

From The Daily Beast

It is, miraculous to relate, still the leader in its own special field—a "bestseller" for forty years!

From Project Gutenberg

Precaution had been a deliberate attempt to produce a bestseller, and it succeeded only moderately.

From Project Gutenberg

Books are as permanent as their survival on bestseller lists.

From Project Gutenberg

Titles make it onto the bestseller lists only because they are sold, not read.

From Project Gutenberg