incunabula Hear it!

incunabula definition

in·cu·nabu·la (in′kyo̵̅o̅ nab′yo̵̅o̅ lə, -yə lə)

plural noun sing. incunabulum -·u·lum (-ləm)

  1. the very first stages of anything; infancy; beginnings
  2. early printed books; esp., books printed before 1500

Etymology: L, neut. pl., swaddling clothes, cradle origin < in-, in + cunabula, neut. pl., a cradle, dim. of cunae, fem. pl., a cradle < IE *oinā, bed < base *kei-, to lie down > home

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.