FRONTISPIECE
frontispiece
(noun) front illustration facing the title page of a book
frontispiece
(noun) an ornamental facade
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
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.
(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.
Verb
frontispiece (third-person singular simple present frontispieces, present participle frontispiecing, simple past and past participle frontispieced)
(transitive, rare) To supply with a frontispiece.
Source: Wiktionary
Fron"tis*piece, n. Etym: [F. frontispice, LL. frontispicium
beginning, front of a church, fr. L. frons front + spicere, specere,
to look at, view: cf. It. frontispizio. See Front and Spy.]
Definition: The part which first meets the eye; as:
(a) (Arch.) The principal front of a building. [Obs. or R.]
(b) An ornamental figure or illustration fronting the first page, or
titlepage, of a book; formerly, the titlepage itself.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition