frontispiece

/ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/

//ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"frontispiece" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“frontispiece” is uncommon English (frequency #62,910 among 18,613 “F” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#62,910
frequency rank, English
18,613
“F” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - An illustration that is on the page before the title page of a book, a section of one, or a magazine.

Key facts for frontispiece
PropertyValue
Headwordfrontispiece
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/
Letters12
Frequency rank#62,910
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “frontispiece” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). frontispiece lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

frontispiece is uncommon English at frequency #62,910 among 18,613 “F” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 5 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for frontispiece in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which usually means its spelling is distinct enough that readers don't reach for a similar-looking word instead.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle French frontispice, from Italian frontespizio or Medieval Latin frontispicium, from Latin frōns (“forehead”, oblique stem in front-) + -spic- (“to watch”, combining form of speciō) + -ium. Spelling altered due to folk etymology, influenced by pi… The correct English form is frontispiece, spelled F-R-O-N-T-I-S-P-I-E-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    An illustration that is on the page before the title page of a book, a section of one, or a magazine.
  2. 2
    The title page of a book.
  3. 3
    A façade, especially an ornamental one.
  4. 4
    A small ornamental pediment, especially at the top of a window or door.
  5. 5
    A person's face.

Etymology

From Middle French frontispice, from Italian frontespizio or Medieval Latin frontispicium, from Latin frōns (“forehead”, oblique stem in front-) + -spic- (“to watch”, combining form of speciō) + -ium. Spelling altered due to folk etymology, influenced by piece.

This word in other languages

frontispicio(Español)frontispice(Français)Frontispiz(Deutsch)frontispício(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "frontispiece"?
"frontispiece" is spelled F-R-O-N-T-I-S-P-I-E-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/.
What does "frontispiece" mean?
As a noun, "frontispiece" means: An illustration that is on the page before the title page of a book, a section of one, or a magazine.
How do you pronounce "frontispiece"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "frontispiece" is /ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "frontispiece"?
From Middle French frontispice, from Italian frontespizio or Medieval Latin frontispicium, from Latin frōns (“forehead”, oblique stem in front-) + -spic- (“to watch”, combining form of speciō) + -ium. Spelling altered due to folk etymology, influe... See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “frontispiece”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is F-R-O-N-T-I-S-P-I-E-C-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˈfɹʌn.tɪsˌpiːs/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list