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hardback

American

[hahrd-bak] / ˈhɑrdˌbæk /

noun

hardcover.

hardback British

/ ˈhɑːdˌbæk /

noun

a book or edition with covers of cloth, cardboard, or leather Compare paperback

"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

adjective

Also: casebound. hardbound. hardcover. of or denoting a hardback or the publication of hardbacks

"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 hardback

First recorded in 1740–50; hard + back ¹

Compare meaning

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hardback vs. paperback

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.

See Examples For:

hardback

The Penguin Classics hardback is a lovely 853-page brick.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

However, others believe the hardback has had its day and should be scrapped.

From BBC ● May 24, 2026

To my astonishment, standing on its end, facing out, was an unsigned first edition hardback of John Irving’s 15th novel, “The Last Chairlift.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026

Justin Torres: I read this a while ago when it was in rawer form, and now I have this beautiful hardback.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 9, 2025

Before I left he handed me a small hardback book called Magic for the Young and the Young at Heart.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy

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