bookish

adjective

book·​ish ˈbu̇-kish 

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

Synonyms of bookish

• literary

Examples of bookish in a Sentence

Their teacher was a bookish fellow.

“fealty” is a bookish synonym for “loyalty”

Recent Examples on the Web

Sophie Pearce is a Welsh travel blogger who has visited Egypt, India and New Zealand on a quest to see magical, historic and bookish destinations. — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026

Campbell recently spoke to PEOPLE exclusively about his appreciation for Gerber’s bookish background. — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026

The Album, Bryce Savage’s not-so-bookish gurglefest about femme fatales. — Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026

The novel follows Harriet Bancroft, a bookish wallflower compiling a dictionary of slang. — Angelina Mazza, Vulture, 19 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

bookish

adjective

book·​ish ˈbu̇k-ish 

1

: fond of reading

2

: tending to rely on knowledge from books rather than practical experience

3

: resembling the language of books : formal

bookishly adverb

bookishness noun