textbook

1 of 2

noun

text·​book ˈteks(t)-ˌbu̇k How to pronounce textbook (audio)
: 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

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
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.
Noun
Many pediatricians have never even seen chickenpox outside of a textbook. Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 28 Jan. 2025 The founder of the Art Lawyers Association, Wilson holds law degrees from the Sorbonne and King’s College, London, and is the author of the legal textbook Art Law and the Business of Art. News Desk, Artforum, 8 Jan. 2025
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 See all Example Sentences for textbook 

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1779, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1905, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of textbook was in 1779

Dictionary Entries Near textbook

Cite this Entry

“Textbook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/textbook. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

textbook

noun
text·​book
ˈteks(t)-ˌbu̇k
: a book used in the study of a subject

More from Merriam-Webster on textbook

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