paperback
Americannoun
-
paperbacks
plural
adjective
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(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
Other Word Forms
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:
Rothney said that when she first saw the size of the nest in June it was about the size of a paperback book.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026
A few months ago I found a paperback copy of George Orwell’s “1984” on a city bus.
From Salon ● May 31, 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
Repackaged, deluxe paperback editions of the other titles in the “Patternist” series — “Patternmaster,” “Mind of My Mind,” “Wild Seed” and “Clay’s Ark” — will be released June 23, the day after Butler’s birthday.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026
Later, after he had gone, I found an awkward note of apology in my mailbox, wrapped around a paperback copy of the poems of Rupert Brooke and a box of Junior Mints.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
"Come to Love Love Books and check out a romance novel!" she said, pointing to her shelves full of paperbacks.
From Barron's ● Nov. 7, 2026
“Public Access Afterworld” is a page-turner in the tradition of supermarket paperbacks from Stephen King and Clive Barker, both of whom know cinema well.
From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026
Trautman never flagged in his struggles with distribution, wartime shortages, congressional interference and intransigent publishers, who first resisted paperbacks and then the notion that they should provide books—at cost—as part of the war effort.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
She said their libraries mainly buy paperbacks due to the lower cost.
From BBC ● May 24, 2026
Those who weren’t sleeping rocked babies in their arms, read paperbacks, played cards, prayed.
From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs
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