coffee-table book

[ kaw-fee tey-buhl, kof-ee- ]

noun

1. an oversize, expensive, and usually illustrated book suitable for displaying, as on a coffee table.

coffee-table book

noun

1. a book designed to be looked at rather than read

Word History and Origins

Origin of coffee-table book¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Price, who has a background in floral design and fashion, also likes to arrange candles on stacks of coffee-table books.

From Washington Post

A 500-page coffee-table book originally published for the 850th anniversary of Notre Dame in 2013 was reissued.

From Washington Post

Consider it a coffee table book for edgy rock fans who bliss out on something stronger than coffee.

From The Daily Beast

The collectable coffee table book will also include interviews with Clive Davis, Sandy Gallin, and Tom Ford.

From The Daily Beast

And of course, there is a big, glossy—and celebratory—Rizzoli coffee-table book featuring the homes of some of her clients.

From The Daily Beast