A book with a rigid binding, often of cardboard or leather.
"She carefully placed the new hardcover copy on the top shelf to keep it from getting damaged by her cats."
In plain English: A hardcover is a book with a stiff, protective cover made of thick material instead of flexible paper.
"She decided to buy the hardcover edition because she planned to keep the book for years."
Usage: Use "hardcover" to describe a book bound in stiff material like cardboard or leather, distinguishing it from a paperback. This term refers specifically to the physical format of the book rather than the difficulty of reading it.
Having a rigid binding.
"She preferred the hardcover edition because its rigid binding kept the pages from bending during long flights."
In plain English: Hardcover describes a book with a thick, durable cover made of stiff material instead of soft paper.
"I prefer buying hardcover books because they last longer than paperbacks."
Usage: Use "hardcover" as an adjective to describe books or magazines that feature a rigid outer cover made of durable materials like cardboard or cloth. It distinguishes these items from softcover editions, which have flexible paper covers.
The word hardcover is a straightforward compound of the words hard and cover. It was first used to describe books bound with rigid boards rather than flexible paper covers.