Bookstalls

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Small stands or open-air stalls at which books are offered for sale, often set up in markets, railway stations or along city streets
2. Temporary counters or kiosks where printed volumes are displayed and sold to passersby in public places
3. Portable booths or market stands devoted to the sale of printed books, commonly found at fairs, stations and outdoor markets

Etymology: "Bookstalls" is simply the plural of "bookstall", a compound of "book" and "stall". A stall is a stand or booth from which goods are sold, and in this word it is a small open stand, often at a market, railway station or street corner, where books are displayed and sold. The two parts are transparent: "book" is the familiar Old English word for a written volume, and "stall" comes from the same Old English tradition of a fixed place, seat or booth, so the compound describes exactly what it names. Plural forms of such compounds are formed by adding "-s" to the final element, so the plural refers to several of these stands at once.

Synonyms: bookstand, kiosk