bibliopole
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of bibliopole
First recorded in 1710–20; from Latin bibliopōla, from Greek bibliopṓlēs ( biblio- biblio- + pōl- (stem of pōleîn “to offer for sale, sell”) + -ēs agentive suffix)
Explanation
A bibliopole is a buyer and seller of used books, especially rare ones. If you’re looking for a hard-to-find old book, find a bibliopole, probably busy at work in a used bookstore. The word bibliopole is from the Greek biblion for "book" and poles for "seller." The meaning is clear, but a bibliopole isn’t just a regular bookseller, it’s someone who sells second-hand or rare books. Looking for a copy of William Blake’s Illustrations of the Book of Job (1825)? Find a bibliopole. And a big stack of cash. Looking for the latest bestseller? Go to any ol’ bookstore and leave the bibliopoles alone. Most bibliopoles are bibliophiles — people who love books.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Now an old London bibliopole is taking a leaf out of their book.
From Economist • Dec. 17, 2014
"The Snopeses are in the market," grumbled one bibliopole, as agents for wealthy clients pushed prices to new highs.
From Time Magazine Archive
Gabriel Wells, 85, onetime penniless Hungarian immigrant who won fame & fortune as bibliophile and bibliopole; in Manhattan.
From Time Magazine Archive
The elder Rodd died in 1822, and his son, the more famous bibliopole, succeeded to the business, which he developed in an extraordinary manner within a few years.
From The Book-Hunter in London Historical and Other Studies of Collectors and Collecting by Roberts, W. (William)
My ten minutes passed very rapidly in conversation with these two experts in books, the bibliopole and the bibliothecary.
From Our Hundred Days in Europe by Holmes, Oliver Wendell
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
