different between colophon vs superscription

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ??????? (koloph?n, “peak or finishing touch”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?k?l?f?n/

Noun

colophon (plural colophons)

1. In manuscripts (typically before the invention of printing), the note, usually at the end, left by the scribe who copied it, giving information on his exemplar, where and when the copy was made, and sometimes, his own name.
2. (printing) A printer's or publisher's identifying inscription or logo appearing at the front or end of a book, or the same appearing on the spine or dust-jacket. It generally contains factual information about the book, especially about its production, and includes details about typographic style, the fonts used, the paper used, and perhaps the binding method of the book. Also used in a similar fashion for newspapers, magazines, and academic journals.
3. (Internet) A page on a website identifying the details of its creation, such as the author's name and the technologies used.
4. (obsolete) A finishing stroke or crowning touch.
   • 1635, John Swan, Speculum Mundi, page 427

     He comes to the creation of man, and makes him the Colophon, or conclusion of all things else.

Translations

See also

• coronis
• vignette

References

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek ??????? (koloph?n, “peak or finishing touch”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?.l?.f??/

Noun

colophon m (plural colophons)

1. colophon, final notice on manuscript.
2. colophon, final notice about printer, editor, paper, etc., with bibliophilic information.

Further reading

• “colophon” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ??????? (koloph?n)

Noun

c?l?ph?n m (genitive c?l?ph?nis); third declension

1. summit, peak

Declension

Third-declension noun.

See also

• Colophon

References

• colophon in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• colophon in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• colophon in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré Latin-Français, Hachette

English

Etymology

From Middle French superscription, or its source, Late Latin superscriptio, from superscribere.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /su?p??sk??p?(?)n/

Noun

superscription (countable and uncountable, plural superscriptions)

1. Something written (or engraved) on the surface, outside, or above something else; specifically, an address on a letter, envelope, etc.
   • 1930, Pearl S. Buck, East wind: west wind, Moyer Bell, page 124:

     Its superscription was my name, and the name of the sender, my mother.

   • 1983, Lawrence Durrell, Sebastian, Faber & Faber 2004 (Avignon Quintet), p. 1140:

     Schwartz glanced at the printed superscription on the envelope and grumbled as he put the envelope away in his overcoat pocket, to read at leisure.

2. An editorial addition at the beginning, often indicating the authorship of a piece.
   • 1911, Encyclopædia Britannica

     By a pure error, or perhaps through a confusion in the traditions, Achish the Philistine (of Gath, 1 Sam. xxi., xxvii.), to whom David fled, is called Abimelech in the superscription to Psalm 34.

3. The act of superscribing.

Related terms

• superscript

See also

• colophon