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
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Noun
The first revolution demolished the neoliberal picture of human nature, in which people are the rational, self-interested maximizers of economic textbooks. Nick Hanauer, The Atlantic, 22 May 2026 Ohtani executed textbook fundamentals, looking back the runner at third before throwing to second to avoid a second runner in scoring position. Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 21 May 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 24 May. 2026.

Kids Definition

textbook

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

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