kitap

Kitap is the Turkish word for a book, a bound or written work that contains pages, typically made of paper. It can be a manuscript or a printed work, and it may also exist in digital form.

The term derives from Arabic kitab and entered Turkish through Ottoman usage. In Turkish, kitap denotes a book in general; the plural is kitaplar. Related terms include kitabe, an inscription or tablet, though used in different senses.

A kitap covers a wide range of subjects and formats, including fiction and non‑fiction, textbooks, reference works, and poetry. Common genres in Turkish include roman (novel), öykü (short story), and deneme (essay). Modern usage distinguishes between printed kitaplar and electronic formats, often called e-kitap or elektronik kitap.

Historically, manuscripts were produced in Anatolia and the surrounding regions, and printing began to influence Ottoman and later Turkish publishing. In the modern era, Turkish publishing expanded with private and state publishers, bookstores, and libraries, making kitap readily available across urban and rural areas. Public and national libraries play a central role in preservation and access, with the Milli Kütüphane and other institutions collecting Turkish and international works.

In recent decades, digital kitap has grown alongside traditional formats. E‑books, online retailers, and digital lending platforms supplement physical copies, while copyright, ISBN registration, and library catalogs help organize and protect the material.