book word

English

Alternative forms

• book-word, bookword

Etymology

From book +‎ word.

Noun

book word (plural book words)

1. (linguistics) A word that is encountered in writing but not usually in speech, which people may therefore not know how to pronounce (correctly).
   • 1871, Alexander John Ellis, On Early English Pronunciation, with Especial Reference to Shakspere ...:

     The second, being a ‘book word,’ has quite an artificial pronunciation.

   • 2014, Dale F. Coye, Pronouncing Shakespeare's Words: A Guide from A to Zounds, →ISBN, page 7:

     Book words—words that are found most often in writing but are rarely spoken—change as well but in a somewhat different way. When the communal memory of a word's pronunciation has been lost, or when speakers who have never heard a book word pronounced attempt it, then spelling will play a key role in determining the new pronunciation.

2. (linguistics) A word that is borrowed into a vernacular from a closely related literary language, thus being etymologically related to native vocabulary, but not showing regular sound changes.

   French loyal and légal are both from Latin lēgālis. While the former was inherited, the latter is a book word.

See also

• learned borrowing

Further reading

• “book word”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Anagrams

• wordbook