Paperback
/ˈpeɪ.pər.bæk/noun
A book with a flexible paper cover rather than a rigid hardcover.
Did you know?The word paper ultimately traces to papyrus, the writing material that helped preserve religious, magical, and administrative texts in the ancient world.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Egyptian / Ancient Greek
Greek
pápyros
“Papyrus, the reed used to make writing material”
Ancient Latin
Latin
papyrus
“Papyrus plant or material made from it”
Middle English
Anglo-Norman / Middle English
papier / paper
“Writing material made from pulped or pressed fibers”
Old English
Old English
bæc
“The rear part of the body; the back side of something”
1930s
English
paperback
“A book bound with a flexible paper cover”
Explore more surprising origins