Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “paperback” come from?

Paperback is a compound of paper, from Latin papyrus via Ancient Greek πάπυρος, and back, from Latin bassus meaning low or of inferior quality.

paperback (English): A book with flexible binding; Having flexible...

Definitions

  1. A book with flexible binding; Having flexible...

Ancestry of “paperback”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbackNear the rear; Not current; Far from the main...
2Frenchbacferry; vat; high school exit exam in France; A...
3Frenchbaccalauréatbaccalaureat; bachelor's degree
4Medieval Latinbaccalaureatusbachelor's degree
5Latinbaccalaureusbachelor
6Latinlaurealaurel, bay tree; crown, wreath or branch of...
7Latinlauruslaurel tree; laurels; a crown of laurel
8English-aceousOf, relating to, resembling or containing the...
9Latin-āceus—
10Latin-āx—
11Latin-iumSuffix used to form abstract nouns, sometimes...
12Latin-iusforming adjectives from nouns; nominative neuter...
13Proto-Italic-jōsForms comparative adjectives
14Proto-Indo-European-yósCreates adjectives from noun or verb stems

Words derived from “paperback”

  • paperbacker
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -yós →