Latin liber (from Proto-Italic *lufro-) was originally "the inner bark of trees," and perhaps is from PIE *lubh-ro- "leaf, rind," a derivative of the PIE root *leub(h)- "to strip, to peel" (see leaf (n.)). Place for books, late 14c., from Anglo-French librarie, Old French librairie, librarie "collection of books bookseller's shop" (14c.), from Latin librarium "book-case, chest for books," and libraria "a bookseller's shop," in Medieval Latin "a library," noun uses of the neuter and fem., respectively, of librarius "concerning books," from Latin librarium "chest for books," from liber (genitive libri) "book, paper, parchment." To do something by the book "according to the rules" is from 1590s. Book of Life "the roll of those chosen for eternal life" is from mid-14c. The meaning "sum of criminal charges" is from 1926, hence slang phrase throw the book at (1932). A betting book "record of bets made" is from 1812. 1200 as "a main subdivision of a larger work." The meaning "libretto of an opera" is from 1768. The use of books or written charters was introduced in Anglo-Saxon times by the ecclesiastics, as affording more permanent and satisfactory evidence of a grant or conveyance of land than the symbolical or actual delivery of possession before witnesses, which was the method then in vogue. it also could mean "a magazine " in 20c., a telephone directory. Later also "bound pages," whether written on or not. The sense gradually narrowed by early Middle English to "a written work covering many pages fastened together and bound," also "a literary composition" in any form, of however many volumes. And compare French livre "book," from Latin librum, originally "the inner bark of trees" (see library). Latin and Sanskrit also have words for "writing" that are based on tree names ("birch" and "ash," respectively). Middle English bok, from Old English boc "book, writing, written document," generally referred (despite phonetic difficulties) to Proto-Germanic *bōk(ō)-, from *bokiz "beech" (source also of German Buch "book" Buche "beech " see beech), the notion being of beechwood tablets on which runes were inscribed but it may be from the tree itself (people still carve initials in them).
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