In terms of books; concerning or regarding books; from the perspective of book knowledge or literacy.
From 'book' (Old English 'bōc') + '-wise' (Old English '-wīse', a suffix meaning manner or direction, as in 'likewise'). This formation follows the productive pattern of adverbial '-wise' compounds.
The '-wise' suffix became a productivity machine in modern English (clockwise, lengthwise)—adding 'bookwise' captures how we can evaluate almost anything 'in terms of' a reference point.
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