bibliophile

[ bib-lee-uh-fahyl, -fil ]

noun

1. a person who loves or collects books, especially as examples of fine or unusual printing, binding, or the like.

bibliophile

/ ˈbɪblɪəˌfaɪl; ˈbɪblɪəfɪl; ˌbɪblɪˈɒfəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. a person who collects or is fond of books

Derived Forms

• bibliophilism, noun
• ˌbibliˌophiˈlistic, adjective

Other Words From

• bibli·ophi·lism bibli·ophi·ly noun
• bibli·ophi·listic bib·li·o·phil·ic [bib-lee-oh-, fil, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bibliophile¹

First recorded in 1815–25; biblio- + -phile

Example Sentences

What did he, a classically trained actor and bibliophile, really see in her?

From The Daily Beast

This collection of books was sold to a French bibliophile for the tidy sum of forty thousand pounds, and is now in the Louvre.

From Project Gutenberg

Julius, with the true bibliophile's interest in all originals, examined his find carefully.

From Project Gutenberg

He had laboriously saved his pennies, and had, with the magic of the bibliophile, turned them into rare volumes!

From Project Gutenberg

According to the learned Doctor Morton, these were just the things that the rich bibliophile demanded!

From Project Gutenberg

For over six months the forlorn bibliophile remained away from the Lady of the Breviary.

From Project Gutenberg