tomes
Heavy scholarly works
Tomes is the plural of tome, a large or scholarly book.
The word often carries a hint of weight or seriousness—dusty tomes in a library, ancient tomes of forbidden knowledge.
It can be used ironically for any thick book: I'm halfway through that tome she recommended.
Handwritten or typed originals
- scrollsRolled written records
- codexAncient bound manuscript
- parchmentTreated hide for manuscripts
- papyrusAncient plant-derived writing material
illuminated · medieval · monastic · scriptoriums · vellum · palimpsest · incunabula · antiquarian
Considerable in weight
- weightyHeavy or significant
- thickHaving great depth
- massiveExtremely large and heavy
- bulkyLarge and awkward to handle
heavy · dense · substantial · hardcover · dusty · yellowed · imposing · cumbersome
Scholarly single-topic publications
- treatisesFormal scholarly compositions
- dissertationsExtended academic research documents
- thesesFormal scholarly arguments
- encyclopediasMulti-volume knowledge collections
compendiums · reference · footnotes · bibliography · citations · indices · annotations · academic
Works of lasting value
- epicsLong heroic narratives
- sagasExtended heroic narratives
- chroniclesSequential historical accounts
- novelsExtended prose fiction
narratives · fiction · prose · chapters · trilogies · series · anthologies · collected works
manuscripts
Handwritten or typed originals
papyrus · illuminated · medieval · monastic · scriptoriums · vellum · palimpsest · incunabula · antiquarian · folios
hefty
Considerable in weight
bulky · heavy · dense · substantial · hardcover · dusty · yellowed · imposing · cumbersome · oversized
monographs
Scholarly single-topic publications
- treatisesFormal scholarly compositions
- dissertationsExtended academic research documents
- thesesFormal scholarly arguments
encyclopedias · compendiums · reference · footnotes · bibliography · citations · indices · annotations · academic · authoritative
classics
Works of lasting value
- epicsLong heroic narratives
- sagasExtended heroic narratives
- chroniclesSequential historical accounts
novels · narratives · fiction · prose · chapters · trilogies · series · anthologies · collected works · masterworks
- book collectionscomplete works, box set, boxed set, collected works, omnibus
- referencesreference, references, dictionary, encyclopedia, atlas
- gentleman's studyrare books, first editions, bookshelves, reading chair, reading lamp
- publicationsbooks, book, newspaper, magazines, magazine
- occultwitchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, black magic, tarot
- philosophyethics, logic, metaphysics, ontology, epistemology
tomespamphlets
Thin informational booklets
potboilers · pulp fiction · fluff pieces · blurbs · airport novels
- ancient tomeVery old book