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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

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

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.

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

It became the bestselling adult debut hardback of 2024.

From BBC • Aug. 27, 2025

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

Attendees trade notes on current projects, discuss the month’s hardback releases and lament the state of our collective national attention.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 13, 2024

“I never showed you this before, but we talked about it,” I said, handing her the heavy hardback.

From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore

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