bookcase

American

[book-keys] / ˈbʊkˌkeɪs /

noun

a set of shelves for books.

bookcase British

/ ˈbʊkˌkeɪs /

noun

a piece of furniture containing shelves for books, often fitted with glass doors

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of bookcase

First recorded in 1720–30; book + case ²

Compare meaning

How does bookcase compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

bookshelf vs. bookcase

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.

Restoration work was carried out on both the building and its contents, including rewaxing a rare Chippendale bookcase estimated to be worth about £20m.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

Scanning my bookcase, which contains a few hundred volumes, it occurred to me that none of them would make sense if Sister Albertine hadn’t grown me into a reader.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 15, 2025

A wooden bookcase piled with works of pre-Columbian history, archaeology and artist catalogs sags in the middle.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2024

"Dementia is like a bookcase - your newest memories would be on the top and then sometimes memories fall out."

From BBC • May 30, 2024

Emma being Emma, she actually stood up and walked over to the opening behind the bookcase.

From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023