hardcover
Americannoun
adjective
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bound in cloth, leather, or the like, over stiff material.
a hardcover series.
-
noting or pertaining to hardcover books.
hardcover sales.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of hardcover
Compare meaning
How does hardcover compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A hardcover book has stiff, rigid covers on its pages, rather than flexible ones. You might prefer hardcover books at home, but tend to pack paperback copies when you travel, since they weigh less. Hardcover books are the ones that tend to be published first, with firm, sturdy covers protecting the pages. You can also call this type of book a hardback. Paperbacks, commonly published after the hardcover has been out for several months, are floppy, lighter, and cost less to buy. Most library books have a special cover that's called "library binding," but it tends to be rigid like a hardcover.
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.
The book, currently No. 1 on the New York Times hardcover fiction bestseller list, is Caro Claire Burke’s debut novel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 8, 2026
“Unlike for mass-market paperbacks, hardcover books were shelved, so it didn’t matter that the books were different sizes,” Margolis says.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
Ethan Mann, my colleague and a supervisor at Book Soup, told me he remembers the place he was both mentally and physically when he purchased a 5-by-8 hardcover copy of “The Parade” by Dave Eggers.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
Chernow’s most recent biography of Mark Twain, published by Penguin Press in time for Father’s Day 2025, has sold 119,259 hardcover copies to date.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026
It is obviously a book, thick, hardcover, wrapped by his father’s own hands.
From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri
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.
