library edition

American  

noun

1. an edition of a book prepared for library use, especially with a library binding.

2. a set of books with common subject matter or authorship and uniform physical characteristics.

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library edition British  

noun

1. an edition of a book having a superior quality of paper, binding, etc

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Etymology

Origin of library edition

First recorded in 1865–70

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

library edition

This is becoming more and more the classical or normal size; so that nowadays the octavo edition is professionally called the library edition.

From On Books and the Housing of Them by W. E. (William Ewart) Gladstone

The edition of Chaucer, in five volumes 12mo, edited by Singer, in 1822, was the only modern library edition of the "Works" until the appearance of Sir H. Nicolas's edition in the Aldine Poets.

From Notes and Queries, Number 02, November 10, 1849 by Various

Three standard editions were issued,—one of forty-eight volumes, at a low rate, another of twenty-five volumes, at higher cost, and an additional library edition, of still greater price.

From The Continental Monthly, Vol. 1, No. 4, April, 1862 Devoted To Literature And National Policy by Various

It is therefore now about twenty-one years old, and the publishers propose to mark its coming of age by issuing a library edition.

From The Hoosier Schoolmaster A Story of Backwoods Life in Indiana by Edward Eggleston

It is pleasant to notice that the demand for Lingard continues to be such that publishers venture on a well got-up library edition like the one before us.

From A Cursory History of Swearing by Julian Sharman