incunabula

[ in-kyoo-nab-yuh-luh, ing- ]

plural noun

, singular in·cu·nab·u·lum [in-ky, oo, -, nab, -y, uh, -l, uh, m, ing-].

1. extant copies of books produced in the earliest stages (before 1501) of printing from movable type.
2. the earliest stages or first traces of anything.

incunabula

/ ˌɪnkjʊˈnæbjʊlə /

plural noun

1. any book printed before 1501
2. the infancy or earliest stages of something; beginnings

Derived Forms

• ˌincuˈnabular, adjective

Other Words From

• incu·nabu·lar adjective
• postin·cu·nabu·la adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of incunabula¹

First recorded in 1815–25; from Latin: “straps holding a baby in a cradle, earliest home, birthplace,” probably equivalent to unattested *incūnā(re) “to place in a cradle” ( in- in- ² + unattested -cūnāre, verbal derivative of cūnae “cradle”) + -bula, plural of -bulum suffix of instrument; incunabula def 1 as translation of German Wiegendrucke

Word History and Origins

Origin of incunabula¹

C19: from Latin, originally: swaddling clothes, hence beginnings, from in- ² + cūnābula cradle

Example Sentences

The term Incunabula is now applied to all books printed before the year 1500.

From Project Gutenberg

It contained especially choice editions of the classics, and also many incunabula.

From Project Gutenberg

Beughem's Incunabula Typographica, 1688, 12mo., is both jejune and grossly erroneous.

From Project Gutenberg

By the term 'early-printed books' the bookseller generally means fifteenth-century works, or incunabula as they are now called.

From Project Gutenberg

One is the original editions of famous Elizabethan and early Stuart authors, the other, the more estimable incunabula.

From Project Gutenberg