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book binding

book binding

1 3.3
A protective cover on the front, back, and spine of a book made of leather, cloth, or paper
  • noun
  • /bʊk ˈbaɪndɪŋ/
translation icon : encuadernación
  • She admired the intricate book binding on the antique novel that displayed craftsmanship from the 19th century.

Examples

  • Ever realize how book bindings are so well made?

  • Couldn't agree more with what the DODO boys said about book binding and the loss of the tactile experience of actually holding a book.

    Blog text (1)
  • The rain was beating heavily against the library windows, and the room smelled strongly of the coal-burning fire and old leather book bindings.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • And this is acid free pH neutral acrylic adhesive tape that's used in book binding and book repair.

  • The library had a variety of beautiful book bindings, showcasing different materials and designs.

  • His collection of vintage novels featured stunning book bindings made of leather and embossed with gold lettering.

Synonyms

cover
vsbook binding
571 1.0

A thing like a lid or blanket that lies over something to keep it safe

is the full protective layer covering front, back, and spine of a volume
binding
vsbook binding
17 3.9

A strip of cloth or material that covers and holds the edge of something

is the full protective layer covering front, back, and spine of a volume

How Protective

hardcover
  • US
34 2.3
book binding
1 3.3
paperback
1.6

Surface Forms

book binding singular
book bindings plural

Morphology

book + bind

The meaning is directly compositional: a B1 learner who knows 'book' and 'bind' can infer that 'book binding' refers to the result/process of binding a book (the cover/spine assembly). This is a common noun+verbal-participial construction with similar counterparts in many languages, so the sense is immediately derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Book binding names the cover and stitched spine that keep a book together. The word binding comes from the action 'to bind', which means to tie, so book binding is the part that 'holds the pages together' and protects them, and that's why it means a 'protective covering' today.