The noun “frontispiece” has a few distinct usages. The Latin word “frontispicium” means “facade,” and the English word was originally used in architecture for elaborately carved entrances. It now applies to entrances, facades, and decorations over a door or window. The publishing industry adopted “frontispiece” in the 17th century for the illustrated page facing the title, because it was at the beginning, and it usually featured columns and other decorative architectural elements.