Having rigid front and back covers, usually boards covered with paper, cloth, or leather; -- of books.  Contrasted with softcover and paperback.
                                                            
                                                     
                        
                                                
                        
                        
                            A book with cardboard or cloth or leather covers; a hardcover book.  Compare paperback.
                                                            
                                                     
                        
                                                
                        
                        
                            A casebook bound that has a stiff, sturdy board (cardboard) cover. It is also known as casebound, hardbound, and hardcover, as contrasted to a paperback. Almost all hardback books are clothbound books. See also CASE-BOUND DUST JACKET HARDCOVER PAPERBACK