✨📕 The NEWThe NEW Collegiate Dictionary, 12th Edition Over 5,000 words added — Buy Now! Collegiate DictionaryBuy Now!

softcover

adjective

soft·​cov·​er ˈsȯf(t)-ˌkə-vər How to pronounce softcover (audio)
Synonyms of softcovernext
: bound in flexible covers : not bound in hard covers
specifically : paperback
softcover books
softcover noun

Word History

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of softcover was in 1952

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Softcover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/softcover. Accessed 5 Dec. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on softcover

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!