incunabulum

in·cu·nab·u·lum  (nky-nby-lm, ng-)

n. pl. in·cu·nab·u·la (-l)

1. A book printed before 1501; an incunable.

2. An artifact of an early period.

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[New Latin incnbulum, from sing. of Latin incnbula, swaddling clothes, cradle : in-, in; see in-² + cnbula, cradle, infancy (from cnae, cradle; see kei-¹ in Indo-European roots).]

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incu·nabu·lar (-lr) adj.

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incunabulum

any of the rare, early examples of movabletype editions printed in the last part of the 15th century, as Caxton’s editions of Chaucer and Malory. — incunabula, n. pl. — incunabulist, n. — incunabular, adj.

See also: Books