book of books: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, literary, religious
Quick answer
What does “book of books” mean?
A comprehensive book considered the ultimate authority on a subject.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A comprehensive book considered the ultimate authority on a subject; specifically a term often used to refer to the Bible as the supreme book among religious texts.
Can be used metaphorically for any work considered the definitive, most important, or most complete reference within a particular field or genre.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. Usage is identical in both varieties, though the phrase may appear slightly more frequently in British religious or literary contexts due to historical establishment.
Connotations
Strong religious and literary connotations in both varieties. In secular use, it implies the highest authority in a field.
Frequency
Very low frequency in general corpora. Higher frequency in theological, literary, and historical texts.
Grammar
How to Use “book of books” in a Sentence
[Subject] refer to [Object] as the book of books.The [Subject] is hailed as the book of books of [Field].Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used. Potentially in metaphors, e.g., 'This manual is the book of books for our sales technique.'
Academic
Used in literary criticism, theology, and historiography to denote a supremely influential or comprehensive text.
Everyday
Very rare in casual conversation. Might be used knowingly or ironically.
Technical
Not used in scientific/technical contexts outside of historical or philosophical discussion of texts.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “book of books”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “book of books”
- Incorrect article: 'a book of books' (weakens the definitive sense).
- Misuse in casual contexts where 'the best book' or 'the main book' is more appropriate.
- Confusing with 'book of records'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, but it most commonly does in religious contexts. It can be used metaphorically for any supremely authoritative or comprehensive work in a field.
It is a formal, literary phrase. It is very rare in informal, spoken English.
When referring specifically to the Bible as a proper noun, it is often capitalised: 'the Book of Books'. In metaphorical secular use, capitalisation is less common.
Extremely rarely. The phrase is a fixed epithet. A conceivable plural use might be in a discussion of different canonical texts across religions, but it is not standard.
A comprehensive book considered the ultimate authority on a subject.
Book of books: in British English it is pronounced /ˌbʊk əv ˈbʊks/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌbʊk əv ˈbʊks/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The book of books (referring specifically to the Bible)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a library where one book contains all the others; the BOOK that is made OF all other BOOKS.
Conceptual Metaphor
KNOWLEDGE/WISDOM IS A BOOK; THE ULTIMATE SOURCE IS THE ULTIMATE BOOK.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the phrase 'book of books' LEAST likely to be used appropriately?