textbook

American  

[tekst-book] / ˈtɛkstˌbʊk /

noun

• textbooks
  plural

1. a book used by students as a standard work for a particular branch of study.

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adjective

1. pertaining to, characteristic of, or seemingly suitable for inclusion in a textbook; typical; classic.

   a textbook case.

textbook British  

/ ˈtɛkstˌbʊk /

noun

1. 1. a book used as a standard source of information on a particular subject

   2. ( as modifier )

      a textbook example

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• textbookish
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• textbooks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of textbook

First recorded in 1720–30; text + book

Explanation

A textbook is an informational book that you use specifically for a class at school. Your biology textbook might be so heavy that you dread lugging it to class. Textbooks are manuals written for instruction in a subject, rather than books you might read for fun. Today many students read textbooks in electronic form, rather than as bound hardcovers. Starting around the 19th century (with easy access to printing and standardized education in many parts of the world), textbooks became a common educational tool. Earlier, a textbook was a name for "a book with wide spaces between the lines."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

textbook textbooks

Pearson says Colossus I, the name of SpaceXAI boss Elon Musk's first mega AI supercomputer facility is "a textbook case of what it looks like when elected officials make promises about economic mobility."

From Barron's ● Aug. 11, 2026

Paula Radcliffe, the former women's marathon world record holder, described it as "a textbook example of how not to run in your comeback race".

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026

“I’m always looking for ways to make leadership jump off the textbook pages, and Ted does that better than almost anyone,” the management professor wrote in an email exchange.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

The Miller-Moreno saga is a textbook example of how this promise of patriarchal protection is a myth.

From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026

I spent the morning and afternoon trying to decipher the history textbook, without much success.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

He rushed back from a farmhouse holiday with friends, scrambling to retrieve the notes and textbooks he had already given to younger students in case he had to sit the exam again.

From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2026

They get to be in the textbooks, but they didn’t get to be on the air.

From Salon ● Jul. 5, 2026

But textbooks create a misleading sense of certainty.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 2026

For schools still relying on textbooks, AI updates can quickly render them out of date.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 18, 2026

There were a few textbooks on math, which we shared, and an American history book that I never saw anyone read except Richard.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Related Words

• workbook