Knowledge acquired from books or study, especially as opposed to common sense, worldliness, etc.; academic intelligence; sometimes contrasted with "street smarts".
Origin
1970s; earliest use found in Field and Stream.
Definition of book smarts in US English:
book smarts
noun
US informal
Knowledge acquired from books or study, especially as opposed to common sense, worldliness, etc.; academic intelligence; sometimes contrasted with "street smarts".