rare book

noun

1. a book that is distinguished by its early printing date, its limited issue, the special character of the edition or binding, or its historical interest.

Word History and Origins

Origin of rare book¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

The engraving - titled Knight, Death and the Devil and signed and dated 1513 - was sold in an online auction by Rare Book Auctions in Lichfield, Staffordshire, on Wednesday, surpassing a guide price range of £10,000-£20,000.

From BBC

Hitler’s original copy is in the rare book collection, along with 1,200 of his other books, at the Library of Congress.

From Salon

In 2022, a rare book laced with arsenic was discovered by librarians in Leeds.

From BBC

Books bound in human skin — and the sometimes sensational stories surrounding them — have long occupied an odd place in the annals of the rare book world.

From New York Times

The prize, which is administered annually through Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, is bestowed completely anonymously.

From Los Angeles Times