frontispiece

UK: /ˈfrʌntɪspiːs/

US: /ˈfrʌntɪsˌpis, ˈfrɑn-/

US: (frun′tis pēs′, fron′-)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

fron•tis•piece /ˈfrʌntɪsˌpis, ˈfrɑn-/   n. [countable]

1. Printing an illustrated page before the title page of a book.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

fron•tis•piece  (frun′tis pēs′, fron′-), n. 

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

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

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

frontispiece / ˈfrʌntɪsˌpiːs/ noun

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

Etymology: 16th Century frontispice, from French, from Late Latin frontispicium façade, inspection of the forehead, from Latin frōns forehead + specere to look at; influenced by piece