A publisher's list of books that are no longer new releases but remain available for sale and continue to generate income.
From back (meaning previous or past) + list (from Old Norse hlíst, meaning to listen, later a roll of names), combining to mean 'the list of previous titles.'
Backlist books are the unsung heroes of publishing—while everyone celebrates bestsellers, backlist titles like 'To Kill a Mockingbird' quietly outsell newer releases year after year, sometimes for decades.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.