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frontispiece. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
frontispiece, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
frontispiece in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
frontispiece you have here. The definition of the word
frontispiece will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
frontispiece, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From Middle French frontispice, from Latin frontispicium, from frōns (“forehead”) + speciō (“to look at”). Spelling altered due to folk etymology, influenced by piece.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/, /ˈfɹɒn.tɪsˌpiːs/
- (US) IPA(key): /ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpis/, /ˈfɹɑn.tɪsˌpis/
Noun
frontispiece (plural frontispieces)
- (publishing) An illustration that is on the page before the title page of a book, a section of one, or a magazine.
- Coordinate term: headpiece
1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 163:The viaduct was illustrated as a frontispiece to THE RAILWAY MAGAZINE of September, 1938.
- (archaic, publishing) The title page of a book.
- (architecture) A façade, especially an ornamental one.
- (architecture) A small ornamental pediment, especially at the top of a window or door.
- (slang, archaic, humorous) A person's face.
1844, George Pope Morris, Nathaniel Parker Willis, The New Mirror, volume 3, page 99:He carries on his frontispiece the indubitable marks of a money-dealer. His is one of those peculiar faces
Translations
small ornamental pediment
Verb
frontispiece (third-person singular simple present frontispieces, present participle frontispiecing, simple past and past participle frontispieced)
- (transitive, rare) To supply with a frontispiece.
The novel was frontispieced with a portrait of the author.
References