English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From used book +‎ store.

Noun edit

used bookstore (plural used bookstores)

  1. A bookstore that principally sells secondhand or used books.
    • 2023 May 13, Lilah Raptopoulos, “The charms of New York's Antiquarian book fair”, in FT Weekend, Life & Arts, page 21:
      Used bookstores have been disappearing for decades: The Booksellers tells us that 1950s New York had 368 bookstores, and today it has about 79.

Usage notes edit

This spelling is contested by Garner's Modern American Usage, on account of it not making any sense.[1]

Synonyms edit

Translations edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Bryan Garner (2009) “Phrasal Adjectives”, in Garner's Modern American Usage, →ISBN, page 628:[] although a bookstore is where we buy books, for secondhand books we go to a used-book store (not a used bookstore or a used-bookstore) []

Further reading edit