We rather suspect that you’re fond of reading – correct us if we’re being too hasty, but you have that look about you. Whether you’re reading at the gloaming (i.e. the best time of the day to read) or dawn, or in your bed or near the inglenook – the undisputed best place to read in the winter – this post is for you. Here are ten unusual words that all book lovers should know.

1. tsundoku

Tsundoku is a Japanese word that has no direct synonym in English. It means, ‘the act of leaving a book unread after buying it, typically piling it up together with other such unread books.’ This may be similar to being buried under a pile of unread books, which is every book lover’s reality.

2. colophon

A colophon is the easiest way to recognize a publisher because it is a publisher’s emblem or imprint that can often be found on the title page or on the spine of a book. When a reader starts noticing the same colophon on all their favorite books they may realize this publisher appeals to their reading preferences and may follow future publications.

3. libricide

Although rarely used today, libricide—the ‘killing’ of a book—is the last thing any book lover wants to hear about. In the same vein, biblioclasm can make any book lover’s heart stop because it is the intentional destruction of books, or specifically of the Bible.

4. bibliotaph

Many readers identify as bibliotaphs, or people who bury their books by keeping them under lock and key. Bibliotaphs are often readers who hoard their books and protect them from others. Such habits may come from bibliolatry, or the extravagant admiration of a book, making readers want to protect their stories.