/ ˈfrʌntɪspiːs; NAmE / noun
[ usually sing. ] a picture at the beginning of a book, on the page opposite the page with the title on it
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent. (originally referring to the principal face of a building): from French frontispice or late Latin frontispicium facade, from Latin frons , front- front + specere to look. The change in the ending (early in the word's history) was by association with piece .