adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Australian, Received-Pronunciation, US:/ˈbʊkɪʃ/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
British, Southern, Standard:[ˈbɵkɪʃ]
Northern-Ireland, Scotland:/ˈbʉkɪʃ/
/ˈbuːkɪʃ/some Northern England, especially Northumbria
CMU ARPABET:B UH1 K IH0 SH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Fond of reading or studying, especially said of someone lacking social skills as a result.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Characterized by a method of expression generally found in books.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
characterized by diligent study and fondness for reading
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a bookish farmer who always had a book in his pocket
a quiet studious child
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: studious
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English book Proto-Indo-European *-iskos Proto-Germanic *-iskaz Proto-West Germanic *-isk Old English -isċ Middle English -ish English -ish English bookish From book + -ish.
Across languages
Translations
57 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
книжовен
(knižoven)
— given to reading; fond of study
Czech:
knihomolský
— given to reading; fond of study
Czech:
intelektuálský
— given to reading; fond of study
Dutch:
boekenworm
— given to reading; fond of study
Finnish:
kirjallinen
— given to reading; fond of study
Finnish:
lukuintoinen
— given to reading; fond of study
Finnish:
kirjoihin uppoutuva
— given to reading; fond of study
French:
bouquineur
— given to reading; fond of study
French:
rat de bibliothèque
— given to reading; fond of study
Greek:
μελετηρός
(meletirós)
— given to reading; fond of study
Hungarian:
könyvszerető
— given to reading; fond of study
Hungarian:
könyvkedvelő
— given to reading; fond of study
Hungarian:
olvasni/tanulni szerető
— given to reading; fond of study
Kazakh:
оқу өтіп кеткен
(oqu ötıp ketken)
— given to reading; fond of study
Kazakh:
оқымысты
(oqymysty)
— given to reading; fond of study
Polish:
dużo czytający
— given to reading; fond of study
Russian:
кни́жный
(knížnyj)
— given to reading; fond of study
Spanish:
estudioso
— given to reading; fond of study
Spanish:
matado
— given to reading; fond of study
Spanish:
mateo
— given to reading; fond of study
Spanish:
empollón
— given to reading; fond of study
Yiddish:
ביכערדיק
(bikherdik)
— given to reading; fond of study
Yiddish:
אָנגעלייענט
(ongeleyent)
— given to reading; fond of study
Bulgarian:
книжен
(knižen)
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Czech:
knižní
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Dutch:
schools
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Dutch:
pedant
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Dutch:
formalistisch
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Dutch:
litterair
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Dutch:
eigengereid
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Finnish:
paperinen
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Finnish:
paperinmakuinen
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
French:
scolaire
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
French:
pédant
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
French:
formaliste
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
French:
littéraire
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
French:
cuistre
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
French:
livresque
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Greek:
λόγιος
(lógios)
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Hungarian:
hivatalos
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Hungarian:
hivataloskodó
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Hungarian:
papírízű
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Hungarian:
könyvszagú
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Hungarian:
könyvszerű
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Hungarian:
tudálékos
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Japanese:
文語の
(bungo no)
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Kazakh:
кітаби
(kıtabi)
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Marathi:
पुस्तकी
(pustakī)
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Polish:
książkowy
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Russian:
кни́жный
(knížnyj)
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Spanish:
literario
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Spanish:
pedante
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Spanish:
formalista
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Spanish:
libresco
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Swedish:
skriftspråklig
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Swedish:
litterär
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
Yiddish:
לומדיש
(lomdish)
— characterized by a method of expression generally found in books
