paperback

noun

pa·​per·​back ˈpā-pər-ˌbak How to pronounce paperback (audio)
: a book with a flexible paper binding
paperback adjective
or less commonly paperbacked

Examples of paperback in a Sentence

The store sells both paperbacks and hardcovers. The book is sold only in paperback.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Ed Park's novel 'Same Bed Different Dreams,' now out in paperback, was a Pulitzer Prize finalist and winner of the 2024 Los Angeles Times Book Prize for fiction. The Week Us, theweek, 19 Nov. 2024 The book will be re-released this November in paperback. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2024 As Prince Harry's groundbreaking memoir Spare hits shelves in paperback, here's a look at the special dedication that shaped the book. Janine Henni, People.com, 22 Oct. 2024 The paperback version is available at Carmichael's Bookstore at 1259 Bardstown Road and 2720 Frankfort Ave. The Courier-Journal, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for paperback 

Word History

First Known Use

1843, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of paperback was in 1843

Dictionary Entries Near paperback

Cite this Entry

“Paperback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paperback. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

paperback

noun
pa·​per·​back ˈpä-pər-ˌbak How to pronounce paperback (audio)
: a book with a flexible paper binding
paperback adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on paperback

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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