AI Overview
A book is a physical or digital medium for presenting written or visual
information, typically consisting of pages bound together in a cover, and
designed for communication and circulation. While traditionally a printed,
multi-page volume, the definition has evolved to include various formats like
electronic books (eBooks) and audiobooks, as well as different historical
forms such as scrolls and tablets.
Key Characteristics
Medium for Information:
A book serves to convey recorded information, primarily text and images, from a writer
or artist to a reader.
Physical or Digital Format:
Books can exist as printed paper objects held together within a cover (the codex
format), or as digital files in eBook or audiobook formats.
Communication and Circulation:
A constant feature of a book is its purpose to serve as an instrument of
communication and to be shared or circulated among people.
Structure:
Books are often organized into a series of pages, but the definition can extend to
encompass other structures like scrolls and tablets from earlier historical periods.
Evolution of the Book
Historical Formats:
The concept of a book has changed significantly over time, evolving from early forms
such as Babylonian clay tablets, Egyptian papyrus scrolls, and medieval parchment
codices.
The Codex Revolution:
The shift from scrolls to the more flexible codex (bound pages) began in the Roman
Empire and became the most familiar format for modern books.
Modern Formats:
Today, the term "book" also refers to electronic books and audiobooks, demonstrating
a continued evolution in how recorded information is packaged and consumed.
Other Meanings of "Book"
A Section of a Work:
In a very long text, such as the Bible, a "book" can refer to one of its major sections or
divisions.
Financial Records:
In a business context, a "book" can refer to the written record of money spent or
received.
Reserve or Record:
The verb "to book" can mean to reserve a service or place in advance (like booking a
flight), or to officially record the details of a person who has committed a minor offense
or a player in a sport.
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Dictionary
Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more
book
/bʊk/
noun
1. 1.
a written or printed work consisting of pages glued or sewn together along one side and
bound in covers.
"a book of selected poems"
Similar:
volume
tome
work
printed work
publication
title
opus
treatise
novel
storybook
manual
handbook
guide
companion
reference book
paperback
hardback
softback
yellowback
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
2. 2.
a bound set of blank sheets for writing in.
"an accounts book"
Similar:
notepad
notebook
pad
memo pad
exercise book
binder
ledger
record book
log
logbook
chronicle
journal
diary
daybook
jotter
pocketbook
scratch pad
cahier
o
o
o
o
3.
verb
1. 1.
reserve (accommodation, a place, etc.)
