Dictionary

frontispiece en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/ (UK)
• /ˈfɹɒn.tɪsˌpiːs/ (UK)
• /ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpis/ (US)
• /ˈfɹɑn.tɪsˌpis/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle French frontispice, from Italian frontespizio or Medieval Latin frontispicium, from Latin frōns (“forehead”, oblique stem in front-) + -spic- (“to watch”, combining form of speciō) + -ium. Spelling altered due to folk etymology, influenced by piece.

Meanings

1. An illustration that is on the page before the title page of a book, a section of one, or a magazine.
   • The viaduct was illustrated as a frontispiece to THE RAILWAY MAGAZINE of September, 1938. [In this case, the frontispiece is between the title page and the first article.] 1939 September, D. S. Barrie, “The Railways of South Wales”, in Railway Magazine, page 163:
2. (archaic) The title page of a book.
3. A façade, especially an ornamental one.
4. A small ornamental pediment, especially at the top of a window or door.
5. (archaic, humorous, slang) A person's face.
   • He carries on his frontispiece the indubitable marks of a money-dealer. His is one of those peculiar faces […] 1844, George Pope Morris, Nathaniel Parker Willis, The New Mirror, volume 3, page 99:

Forms

Coordinates

headpiece

Translations (49)

ca frontispici (façade) · cmn 卷首插画 (publishing: illustration) · ru фаса́д (façade) · ru фронтиспи́с (façade) · de Bekrönung (small ornamental pediment) · pl frontyspis (publishing: illustration) · fi esiökuva (publishing: illustration) · fi julkisivu (façade) · de Frontispiz (publishing: illustration) · sv vinjettplansch (publishing: illustration) · ru фронти́спис (publishing: illustration) · sv titelplansch (publishing: illustration) · io frontispico (façade) · da frontispice (façade) · de Giebeldreieck (small ornamental pediment) · es frontispicio (publishing: illustration) · da frontispice (publishing: illustration) · ro frontispiciu (publishing: illustration) · de Giebelfeld (small ornamental pediment) · fr frontispice (façade) · fi paraatipuoli (façade) · es frontispicio (façade) · pl fronton (façade) · fi nimiönliite (publishing: illustration) · pt frontispício (publishing: illustration) · de Frontspieß (small ornamental pediment) · pl fronton (small ornamental pediment) · ru фронто́н (façade) · de Friesengiebel (small ornamental pediment) · sv frontespis (small ornamental pediment) · de Kapitänsgiebel (small ornamental pediment) · ru фронти́спис (façade) · sv vinjettbild (publishing: illustration) · fr frontispice (publishing: illustration) · ca frontispici (publishing: illustration) · de Fronton (small ornamental pediment) · eo frontispico (publishing: illustration) · ru фронтиспи́с (publishing: illustration) · nl frontispies (publishing: illustration) · pt frontispício (façade) · io frontispico (publishing: illustration) · nl frontispice (publishing: illustration) · de Frontispiz (small ornamental pediment) · sv frontespis (façade) · fi frontespiisi (publishing: illustration) · it frontespizio (publishing: illustration) · sv frontespis (publishing: illustration) · de Tempelgiebel (small ornamental pediment) · cs frontispis (publishing: illustration)

frontispiece en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/ (UK)
• /ˈfɹɒn.tɪsˌpiːs/ (UK)
• /ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpis/ (US)
• /ˈfɹɑn.tɪsˌpis/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle French frontispice, from Italian frontespizio or Medieval Latin frontispicium, from Latin frōns (“forehead”, oblique stem in front-) + -spic- (“to watch”, combining form of speciō) + -ium. Spelling altered due to folk etymology, influenced by piece.

Meanings

1. (rare, transitive) To supply with a frontispiece.
   • The novel was frontispieced with a portrait of the author.

Forms