textbook

1 of 2

noun

text·​book ˈteks(t)-ˌbu̇k How to pronounce textbook (audio)
Synonyms of textbooknext
: a book used in the study of a subject: such as
a
: one containing a presentation of the principles of a subject
b
: a literary work relevant to the study of a subject

textbook

2 of 2

adjective

: of, suggesting, or suitable to a textbook
especially : classic
a textbook example of bureaucratic waste

Examples of textbook in a Sentence

Noun one shelf in my bookcase is crammed full of my old college textbooks Adjective a textbook example of a film that captures the feel of the novel on which it is based
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Homework-help platforms such as GradeSaver or CourseHero offered solutions to common math textbook problems. Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 15 Jan. 2026 The Dallas native has always been fascinated by on-court strategy, even getting kicked out of sixth-grade English class for diagramming plays in his textbook. Brendan Marks, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Guyton, the second Black woman to host A Capitol Fourth after Vanessa Williams, recognizes that her own swift and dramatic rise to stardom after years of dues-paying and nearly quitting performing entirely is a textbook American success story. Scott Huver, PEOPLE.com, 1 July 2022 But for some of these patients, the cause of their seemingly textbook mental issues isn’t from an anomaly of brain chemistry or function, but from Lyme disease – the most common vector-borne disease in the U.S. Matt Benoit, Discover Magazine, 22 June 2022 See All Example Sentences for textbook

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1725, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1860, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of textbook was in 1725

Cite this Entry

“Textbook.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/textbook. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

textbook

noun
text·​book
ˈteks(t)-ˌbu̇k
: a book used in the study of a subject

More from Merriam-Webster on textbook

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