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Definition of textbook

textbook

/ˈtɛkst.bʊk/
text · book
Plural:textbooks
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textbook Lexical Profile

textbook Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A book used as a standard work for the study of a particular academic subject.

Example

"The professor assigned three chapters from the biology textbook for the weekend reading."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for textbook

Word Nuance & Usage

When functioning as an adjective, 'textbook' is almost exclusively used attributively (e.g., 'a textbook landing' or 'a textbook case'), meaning it typically appears directly before the noun rather than as a predicate adjective.

• Nearby Words

texas night snake
texas rat snake
text
textbook
texter
textile
textless

Word Origin & Etymology

A compound of 'text' and 'book', originating in English in the late 18th century to denote a manual of instruction containing the basic text of a subject.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Textbook. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/textbook
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