paperback
Americannoun
adjective
-
(of a book) bound in a flexible paper cover.
a paperback edition of Orwell's novel.
-
of, for, or pertaining to paperbacks.
a paperback bookstore.
noun
adjective
verb
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Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of paperback
Compare meaning
How does paperback compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A paperback is a book with a paper cover, instead of a soft cover. If you wait to buy a book until it comes out as a paperback, you'll save money. In the 1830s and 40s, publishers began offering inexpensive versions of already-published books with paper covers, and the word paperback followed in 1888. Paperbacks are popular because they're smaller, lighter, and less expensive than their stiffly bound hardcover counterparts. A paperback edition of a book is usually released about a year after the book is first published in hardcover, although some books, called paperback originals, are published only in paperback form.
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:
That starts with the title font’s most intentional resemblance to classic Stephen King paperback cover typography.
From Salon ● Jun. 18, 2026
"Then we'll buy the paperback when it comes out," she added.
From BBC ● May 24, 2026
The paperback rights for her second book, 1978’s Love Signs, were sold for $2.5 million, establishing an industry record at the time.
From Slate ● May 5, 2026
The device, roughly the size of a paperback book, produces small amounts of power by capturing energy released as these microorganisms break down organic material in dirt.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 19, 2026
From then on, all through that winter, I became Wilberforce’s favourite bog-seat warmer, and I used always to keep a paperback book in the pocket of my tail-coat to while away the long bog-warming sessions.
From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl
“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
"But I love the smell of a new book and holding them. I love the colours, some of the covers are just so beautiful, I buy those as paperbacks."
From BBC ● May 24, 2026
The first was commercial: the rise of paperbacks and mall bookstores.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 13, 2026
The English-language books that are selling abroad are generally cheap paperbacks, printed by American and British publishers as export editions.
From New York Times ● Jun. 7, 2024
Mummy bends over and flips through the paperbacks.
From "We Were Liars" by E. Lockhart
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.
