Bookfest

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A public event or gathering devoted to books, authors, and reading, often with talks, signings, and sales
2. A festival centred on literature, where writers, readers, and publishers come together to celebrate books
3. An occasion organised around printed works, bringing together authors and book lovers for exhibitions and discussion

Etymology: "Bookfest" is a plain compound: "book" joined to "fest," a clipped form of "festival." "Festival" itself came into English in the 16th century from Medieval Latin "festivalis," an adjective meaning "of a feast," which descends from Latin "festivus," "festive," and ultimately "festum," "feast" or "holiday." The shortened "fest" is a 20th-century American formation, and its use as a noun for an event gathering enthusiasts around a subject, such as a "beerfest" or "filmfest," followed the same pattern. "Bookfest" appears in print as a modern coinage for literary gatherings, with book fairs and literary festivals as the older model. Its formation follows the English habit of attaching "fest" to any subject, so the compound is transparent: a festival about books.