textbook

1 of 2

noun

text·​book ˈteks(t)-ˌbu̇k 

: a book used in the study of a subject: such as

a

: one containing a presentation of the principles of a subject

b

: a literary work relevant to the study of a subject

textbook

2 of 2

adjective

: of, suggesting, or suitable to a textbook

especially : classic

a textbook example of bureaucratic waste

Synonyms

Noun

• handbook
• manual
• primer
• text

Adjective

• archetypal
• archetypical
• classic
• definitive
• exemplary
• imitable
• model
• paradigmatic
• quintessential

Examples of textbook in a Sentence

Noun

one shelf in my bookcase is crammed full of my old college textbooks

Adjective

a textbook example of a film that captures the feel of the novel on which it is based

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Isn't that the textbook definition of a conflict of interest? —Stefan Becket, CBS News, 12 Dec. 2024

The origin point of the blaze is textbook wildland-urban interface, or WUI (woo-ee). —Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024

Adjective

But for some of these patients, the cause of their seemingly textbook mental issues isn’t from an anomaly of brain chemistry or function, but from Lyme disease – the most common vector-borne disease in the U.S. —Matt Benoit, Discover Magazine, 22 June 2022

Guyton, the second Black woman to host A Capitol Fourth after Vanessa Williams, recognizes that her own swift and dramatic rise to stardom after years of dues-paying and nearly quitting performing entirely is a textbook American success story. —Scott Huver, PEOPLE.com, 1 July 2022

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1779, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1905, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing textbook

• textbook case/example

Kids Definition

textbook

noun

text·​book

ˈteks(t)-ˌbu̇k

: a book used in the study of a subject