Glossary of Common Latin Terms Found in Imprints of Early Printed Books

Glossary of Common Latin Terms

Found in Imprints of Early Printed Books

Robert L. Maxwell

Special Collections and Ancient Languages Librarian

Harold B. Lee Library

Brigham Young University

Please send comments, suggestions, or additions to robert_maxwell@byu.edu. Most recently updated: 27 May 1998.

aedes : shop, printing establishement (In aedibus Aldi, et Andreae soceri = [Printed] in the shop of Aldo [Manuzio] and of his father-in-law Andrea [Torresani])

angulus : corner (Ex officina Gulielmi Young, bibliopolae, no. 52 Secunda-Platea, angulo Castaneae-Plateae, M.DCC.XCIII = From the shop of William Young, bookseller, 52 Second Street, on the corner of Castanea Street, 1793)

annus : year (Apud Io. Heruagium, mense Martio anno 1537 = At the shop of Johann Herwagen, in the month of March, the year 1537; anno Domini 1550 = In the year of our Lord 1550, i.e., A.D. 1550 or 1550 C.E.)

apud : at the shop of (Apud Paulum Manutium = at the shop of Paulo Manuzio)

architypographia : head/main printing office/shop (Ex architypographia Plantiniana = From the main Plantin printing office)

bibliopola : bookseller (Ex officina Gulielmi Young, bibliopolae, no. 52 Secunda-Platea, angulo Castaneae-Plateae, M.DCC.XCIII = From the shop of William Young, bookseller, 52 Second Street, on the corner of Castanea Street, 1793)

castigator : proofreader (Elaboratum est hoc Germaniae opus, typis Thomae Anshelmi castigatoreq[ue] authore ipso = This work was completed in Germany, with the type of Thomas Anshelmus, and with the author himself as proofreader)

castigatus : corrected, proofread (Impressum est & castigatum in aedibus Ascensianis = printed and proofread in the Ascensian shop)

collegit/conlegit : collected, compiled, often in the phrase collegit et edidit, "compiled and edited."

cura : care (often means "edited by") (Cura et sumptibus Societatis Literatae = By the care and expense of the Literary Society)

emissio : edition (tertia emissio = third edition; secundam & castigatiorem emissionem = second and more correct edition)

emissum : published (Expletum est hoc opusculum & ex officina emissum in Parisiorum academia = This little work was completed and published from the printshop in the Parisian academy)

exarare, exarata, exaratum, exarantur : to print, printed (lit. "ploughed up") (Gallica lingua, & deinde Latina exarata = Printed in French, and then in Latin; Evangelia characteribus Syriacis exarata = The Gospels printed with Syriac type)

excudebat, excudebant, excudebatur, excudebantur, excusa, excusae, excusum : printed, was printed (Excudebat atque venebat Timotheus Green MDCCLI = Timothy Green printed and sold [this book] in 1751; Excudebatur Salmanticae in officina Andreae à Portonarijs = [This book] was printed in the shop of Andreas à Portonariis; Excusum Moguntiae = Printed at Mainz; Excusae Argentinae = Printed at Strasbourg)

excusor : printer (Apud Antonium Bladum Pontificis Maximi excusorem = In the office of Antonius Bladus, printer of the Pope)

filius : son (Ex Officina Plantiniana, apud viduam & filios Ioannis Moreti = From the Plantin printing establishment, in the shop of the widow and sons of Joannes Moretus; Sumptibus Matthei Rieger et filiorum = At the expense of Matthew Rieger and his sons)

frater : brother (Apud Balthasarem et Ioannem Moretos fratres = At the shop of Balthasar and Joannes Moretus, brothers)

haeredes, heredes : heirs (Typis Ioannis Saurii, impensis heredum Petri Fischeri, M.D.IC. = [Printed] with the type of Joannes Saur, at the expense of the heirs of Peter Fischer, 1599)

impensa : expense (Impensis Mathaei Carey = At the expense of Matthew Carey)

impressum est : was printed (Impressum est hoc opusculum per Ion. Antonium & fratres de Sabio = This little work was printed by Giovanni Antonio da Sabbio and his brothers)

imprimebat : printed (Imprimebat Johannes Steinman = Johannes Steinman printed [this book])

impressor : printer (timidi committere praelo non impressores audebant = the frightened printers did not dare to commit [the book] to the press)

insigne : sign (Apud Martinum Iuuenem, via S. Ioannis Laterranensis, ad insigne Serpentis = At the shop of Martin Le Jeune, Rue Sainct Jean de Latran, at the sign of the serpent; Apud Ioan. Bellerum, sub insigni Falconis = At the shop of Jean Beller, under the sign of the Falcon)

mensis : month (Apud Io. Heruagium, mense Martio anno 1537 = At the shop of Johann Herwagen, in the month of March, the year 1537)

officina : shop, printing establishment (Ex officina Gulielmi Young, bibliopolae, no. 52 Secunda-Platea, angulo Castaneae-Plateae, M.DCC.XCIII = From the shop of William Young, bookseller, 52 Second Street, on the corner of Castanea Street, 1793; In officina Sylvani Otmari = [Printed] in the shop of Silvan Otmar)

per : by/through (Typis Academicis, per Leopoldum Berger = [Printed] with the types belonging to the Academy, by Leopold Berger)

platea : street (Ex officina Gulielmi Young, bibliopolae, no. 52 Secunda-Platea, angulo Castaneae-Plateae, M.DCC.XCIII = From the shop of William Young, bookseller, 52 Second Street, on the corner of Castanea Street, 1793)

prostat (venalis), prostant (venales) : for sale (Prostat venalis apud T. Payne et filium = For sale at the shop of T. Payne and Son; Vaenales prostant ex officina Henr. Knox = For sale at the office of Henry Knox)

praelum, prelum, praelo, prelo : press (praelo Sheldoniano paratur = prepared at the Sheldonian press; timidi committere praelo non impressores audebant = the frightened printers did not dare to commit [the book] to the press)

recusa : printed (Recusa Augustae Vindelicorum = Printed at Augsburg)

reimpressa : reprinted (Reimpressa Pragae = reprinted at Prague)

scutum : shield (i.e., sign) (Apud Ioannem Petit-Pas, via Iacobaea, sub scuto Venetiarum = At the shop of Jean Petit-Pas, Rue St. Jacques, under the sign of the Venetians)

socius : associate, partner (Apud Ioannem Variscum & socios = In the shop of Giovanni Varisco and his partners)

signum : sign (Apud Michaëlem de Roigny, in via Iacobæa, sub signo Quatuor Elementorum = At the shop of Michel de Roigny, Rue St. Jacques, under the sign of the Four Elements)

successores : successors (Excudebant haeredes & successores Andreae Anderson = The heirs and successors of Andreas Anderson printed [this book])

sumptus : expense (Sumptibus H. Maynardi = [Published] at the expense of H. Maynard)

typographia, typographeus : printing office/shop (Ex Typographia Apostolica Vaticana = From the Apostolic Vatican Printing Office; E typographeo Clarendoniano = At the Clarendon Press)

typographus : printer (Excudebat Joan. Hayes, celeberrimae Academiae typographus = John Hayes, printer to the most famous Academy, printed [this book])

typus : type (E typis Thomae & Samuelis Green = [Printed] from the type of Thomas and Samuel Green)

venundatur, venundantur : sold (Venundatur Parisiis in vico divi Iacobi sub Lilio Aureo = Sold in Paris in the Rue St. Jacques under the [sign of] the Golden Lily)

via : street (Apud Martinum Iuuenem, via S. Ioannis Laterranensis, ad insigne Serpentis = At the shop of Martin Le Jeune, Rue Sainct Jean de Latran, at the sign of the serpent)

vidua : widow (Ex Officina Plantiniana, apud viduam & filios Ioannis Moreti = From the Plantin establishement, in the shop of the widow and sons of Joannes Moretus)