out-of-print
UK[ˌaʊt.əvˈprɪnt]US[ˌaʊt.əvˈprɪnt]
adj
(of a book, etc.) no longer available from the publisher because all copies have been sold
Etymology
The term "out-of-print" is a modern English compound, emerging in the late 19th to early 20th century alongside the industrialization of book publishing. Its logic is entirely transparent and descriptive: a book that is "out of" the state of being "in print." The word "print" itself originates from Old French preinte, meaning "impression," from the Latin premere, "to press." Thus, the term literally describes a work no longer being actively pressed or produced by a publisher. Its formation follows a common English pattern of creating fixed adjectival phrases from prepositional idioms to describe a specific commercial or technical status.
Analysis
This is a hyphenated compound adjective formed from the prepositional phrase "out of" and the adjective "print." It functions as a single lexical unit.
Examples
The first edition of her novel has been out-of-print for decades.
Collectors often pay high prices for out-of-print books in good condition.
The author was disappointed to learn his work was going out-of-print.