bibliophile

noun

bib·​lio·​phile ˈbi-blē-ə-ˌfī(-ə)l 

: a lover of books especially for qualities of format

also : a book collector

bibliophilic

ˌbi-blē-ə-ˈfi-lik 

adjective

bibliophilism

ˌbi-blē-ˈä-fə-ˌli-zəm 

noun

bibliophily

ˌbi-blē-ˈä-fə-lē 

noun

Synonyms of bibliophile

• bookseller
• bibliomaniac
• antiquarian
• bookman

Examples of bibliophile in a Sentence

for bibliophiles, no electronic device could possibly give the tactile pleasure of a beautifully bound book

Recent Examples on the Web

Nijkerk’s grandson Willem Nijkerk knew that his family had included bibliophiles but didn’t know how large his grandfather’s collection was. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 27 Oct. 2026

His wife eventually died of tuberculosis, and a brokenhearted Vroman, a bibliophile, sold off a chunk of his vast book collection to collect capital to open the store. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Stepping into the real-life setting of your favorite novel, browsing bookstores and gorgeous libraries, and seeing where famous writers once lived and worked is a pretty special way for a bibliophile to experience a city. — Kristine Hansen, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2026

Our chicest bibliophile, Sarah Jessica Parker, championed this project from its Sundance debut all the way to the strip. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from bibli- + -phile

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined above