bibliophile

[ bib-lee-uh-fahyl, -fil ]

noun

1. a person who loves or collects books, especially as examples of fine or unusual printing, binding, or the like.

bibliophile

/ ˈbɪblɪəˌfaɪl; ˈbɪblɪəfɪl; ˌbɪblɪˈɒfəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. a person who collects or is fond of books

Derived Forms

• bibliophilism, noun
• ˌbibliˌophiˈlistic, adjective

Other Words From

• bibli·ophi·lism bibli·ophi·ly noun
• bibli·ophi·listic bib·li·o·phil·ic [bib-lee-oh-, fil, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of bibliophile¹

First recorded in 1815–25; biblio- + -phile

Example Sentences

Bonnie Witt, played by Michelle Monaghan, is the girlfriend, a sexy, slightly dangerous bibliophile whose real name is not Bonnie Witt.

From Los Angeles Times

Best known for his diaries, the tailor's son was also a bibliophile who bequeathed his large library to the University of Cambridge's Magdalene College.

From BBC

On May 25, 1926, the New York Public Library announced that it had acquired the celebrated Afro-Latino bibliophile Arturo Schomburg’s collection of more than 4,000 books, manuscripts and other artifacts.

From New York Times

In 1895, Adam Clark Vroman, an ex-railroad worker, bibliophile and photographer, new to the San Gabriel Valley, partnered with J.S.

From Los Angeles Times

He was a Christian Zionist and bibliophile, who by all accounts knew the land of Israel better than many of the Jews who lived there.

From Salon