frontispiece

[ fruhn-tis-pees, fron- ]
/ ˈfrʌn tɪsˌpis, ˈfrɒn- /

noun

an illustrated leaf preceding the title page of a book.
Architecture. a façade, or a part or feature of a façade, often highlighted by ornamentation.

Origin of frontispiece

1590–1600; alteration (conformed to piece) of earlier frontispice < French < Medieval Latin frontispicium, equivalent to Latin fronti- front + -spicium (combining form representing specere to look at)

Example sentences from the Web for frontispiece

British Dictionary definitions for frontispiece

frontispiece
/ (ˈfrʌntɪsˌpiːs) /

noun

an illustration facing the title page of a book
the principal façade of a building; front
a pediment, esp an ornamented one, over a door, window, etc

Word Origin for frontispiece

C16 frontispice, from French, from Late Latin frontispicium façade, inspection of the forehead, from Latin frōns forehead + specere to look at; influenced by piece