What does dogeared mean?
Dogeared describes a page, book, or similar item whose corners have been folded over, typically because a reader has bent them down to mark their place. The term comes from the older noun "dog's ear," a name given to such a folded corner on the fanciful grounds that it resembles a drooping canine ear. A dogeared copy of a novel signals frequent, loving use rather than neglect, which is why bibliophiles sometimes wear the label as a badge of honor. By extension, the word can describe anything worn, frayed, or shabby from long service, such as a dogeared passport or a dogeared photograph. It functions as an adjective and may be spelled dog-eared or dogeared, with the latter common in American English.
adjective(Of a page or book) having the corners turned down or folded over through use, especially by being marked in place of a bookmark. More generally, worn or shabby from long handling.
- Having the corners of pages folded down, especially as a makeshift bookmark.
- Worn, shabby, or battered from long or rough use (extended sense).
"She reached for her dogeared copy of Pride and Prejudice and settled into the armchair."
"He lent me a dogeared paperback held together with yellowed tape."
"The dogeared map had been folded and refolded so many times it tore along the creases."
The humble folded page corner has been called a "dog's ear" since at least the 1600s — an insult your paperback wears with pride.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dogeared
The word derives from the noun "dog's ear," attested in English from around the early seventeenth century, referring to a folded-down page corner whose shape was thought to resemble a dog's floppy ear. From this noun came the verb "to dog-ear" (to turn down a corner) and subsequently the participial adjective "dog-eared." The formation is purely English, combining the native word "dog" with "ear," and it has close parallels in other Germanic languages that use similar imagery for folded page corners.
Related word forms
How dogeared is actually used
Also commonly written hyphenated as "dog-eared"; both spellings are accepted, with the closed form "dogeared" increasingly frequent in American usage. The word carries affectionate connotations when applied to beloved books, suggesting a treasured and well-read volume rather than mere neglect.
Easily confused with dogeared
"Dogeared" describes pages or books with folded corners, while "dog-tired" means extremely exhausted.