bookmark

bookmark — noun

1. a small strip or piece that you leave inside a book to help you return to the sa

1.nounB1
Definition

a small strip or piece that you leave inside a book to help you return to the same page later

Example

Aiko slipped a silk bookmark into her novel before lunch.

collocation: slip a bookmark into [book]

The library sells handmade bookmarks near the front desk.

Common collocations
  • put a bookmark in a book
  • use something as a bookmark
  • make a bookmark
Synonyms
  • page marker

    a plain descriptive term for something that keeps your place

  • ribbon

    narrower; often sewn into a hardback book

  • tab

    usually sticks out from the page edge rather than lying between pages

Usage Note

Often a thin piece of paper, card, ribbon, or leather. Distinguish from noun 2, which is the digital meaning for a saved page location.

Common Mistakes

I used a bookmarker in my novel.
I used a bookmark in my novel.
The usual everyday noun is 'bookmark'.

2. a saved web address or file location that lets you open the same page again quic

2.nounB2
Definition

a saved web address or file location that lets you open the same page again quickly

Example

Diego saved the recipe blog as a bookmark on his tablet.

pattern: save [site] as a bookmark

Priya opened her travel bookmarks before booking the hotel.

Common collocations
  • browser bookmark
  • bookmark folder
  • open a bookmark
Synonyms
  • favorite

    often the browser label for a saved site

  • shortcut

    broader; can point to many kinds of digital locations

  • saved link

    informal description rather than a fixed interface term

Usage Note

Common in browsers and reading apps. Some systems call the same feature favorites, but the basic function is still storing a place to return to.

Common Mistakes

I bookmarked the article, so now it is on my laptop.
I bookmarked the article, so I can open it again later.
A bookmark saves the location, not the whole file.

bookmark — verb

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

For the digital verb sense, bookmark usually means storing a page or location so you can return to it later. Save is broader: you can save a file, photo, or document onto your device, not only keep its address. Star is often just the button name that apps use for the same action, especially in mail, maps, or browsers. Pin usually keeps something easy to reach or easy to see, often at the top of a list, but it does not always mean a saved web address. Favorite is commonly the noun or menu label instead of bookmark. You can bookmark a recipe page, save the PDF, pin a note, or add a site to your favorites.

save ↗star ↗pin ↗favorite ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

This word combines book and mark. It first referred to a strip placed in a book so a reader could return to the same place. Later, computer use extended the idea to saved links and page locations, because they also let you go back to a chosen place quickly.