Definition of "frontispiece"

frontispiece

/ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/

noun
plural frontispieces
1. (publishing) An illustration that is on the page before the title page of a book, a section of one, or a magazine.
  Quotations
  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, publishing) The title page of a book.
3. (architecture) A façade, especially an ornamental one.
4. (architecture) A small ornamental pediment, especially at the top of a window or door.
5. (slang, archaic, humorous) A person's face.
  Quotations
  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
verb
third-person singular simple present frontispieces, present participle frontispiecing, simple past and past participle frontispieced
1. (transitive, rare) To supply with a frontispiece.