1
a
: of or relating to books
b
: fond of books and reading
2
a
: inclined to rely on book knowledge
b
of words
: literary and formal as opposed to colloquial and informal
c
: given to literary or scholarly pursuits
also
: affectedly learned
bookishly
adverb
bookishness
noun
Examples of bookish in a Sentence
Their teacher was a bookish fellow.
“fealty” is a bookish synonym for “loyalty”
Recent Examples on the Web
Your teen can turn to these bookish gifts year round to get lost in their favorite novel.
—
Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
The comedy-drama, written by Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, follows Lorelai and her bookish daughter Rory (Bledel) in the quirky, charming small town of Stars Hollow, Conn.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
And yet Klein, in his distinctly bookish and measured approach, sometimes recalls an Obamian voice, if the former President had been a journalist with a beard, tattoos, and a predilection for Burning Man.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Jimbōchō is home to some 130 vintage book stores — Time Out highlights Isseido Booksellers and Kitazawa Bookstore as great starting points for a day of bookish exploring — as well as its coffee-shop culture and delicious curry houses.
—Francesca Street, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bookish
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.
Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Oct. 2025
The comedy-drama, written by Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, follows Lorelai and her bookish daughter Rory (Bledel) in the quirky, charming small town of Stars Hollow, Conn.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 3 Oct. 2025
And yet Klein, in his distinctly bookish and measured approach, sometimes recalls an Obamian voice, if the former President had been a journalist with a beard, tattoos, and a predilection for Burning Man.
—David Remnick, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2025
Jimbōchō is home to some 130 vintage book stores — Time Out highlights Isseido Booksellers and Kitazawa Bookstore as great starting points for a day of bookish exploring — as well as its coffee-shop culture and delicious curry houses.
—Francesca Street, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for bookish
Cite this Entry
“Bookish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bookish. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share