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Synonyms

storybook

American  
[stawr-ee-book] / ˈstɔr iˌbʊk /

noun

  1. a book that contains a story or stories especially for children.

adjective

  1. idealized, romantic, or picturesque, as if from a book of stories.

    She lives in a storybook cottage on an island off the coast of Maine.
storybook British  
/ ˈstɔːrɪˌbʊk /

noun

  1. a book containing stories, esp for children

"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

  1. unreal or fantastic

    a storybook world
"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 storybook

First recorded in 1705–15; story 1 + book

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.

He named it Avalon after the storybook world of King Arthur, he told Architectural Digest in 2004.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

In his pursuit of answers, Roher employs a cloying framework: his loving wife occasionally narrating as if this were a storybook and Roher the protagonist of a scary adventure.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

“It’s for someone very specific who appreciates the storybook vibe.”

From MarketWatch • Mar. 17, 2026

Filmmakers Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski find an enchanting balance between storybook allure and adult trickery.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026

She imagines a storybook mouse creeping out from its hole.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

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.