frontispiece Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an ornamental facade
  2. noun front illustration facing the title page of a book

WordNet

Fron"tis*piece noun
Etymology
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.
Definitions
  1. 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.

Webster 1913