Plural of bookcase; pieces of furniture with shelves designed specifically for storing and displaying books. Typically tall, rectangular structures with multiple horizontal shelves.
Compound of 'book' (from Old English 'bōc') and 'case' (from Old French 'casse,' ultimately from Latin 'capsa' meaning box or container). The specific furniture term emerged in the 18th century as personal libraries became more common.
The bookcase as furniture reflects the democratization of literacy and book ownership—before the 18th century, books were so rare and valuable that they were often chained to reading desks in libraries. The rise of bookcases in homes parallels the growth of the middle class and mass-produced books.
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