editio princeps

/ɪˌdɪʃɪoʊ ˈprɪnsɛps/

noun

The first printed edition of a work previously only published in manuscript form.

OriginNew Latin ēditiō prīnceps →
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Meanings

nouneditio princeps (plural editiones principes)

plural editiones principes

  1. humanitiesmediaThe first printed edition of a work previously only published in manuscript form.

    If the editio princeps was an attempt to create an authoritative version of the pontifical, such was not yet attainable.

    2007, Terence Bailey, Alma Colk Santosuosso, editors, Music in Medieval Europe […] , Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., →ISBN, page 199
    2 more examples

    A caller interrupted me yesterday, a most persistent fellow and a dangerous one to the purse of the tyro collector of Americana, though not to me. He was a man of some pretence to classic education, and superficially versed in lore of title, date, and editio princeps.

    1903, Mabel Osgood Wright, People of the Whirlpool

    The extract from the Missal of Constance, which was printed before the editio princeps […] does not contain the formulae for Advent, Sundays after Epiphany, Lent and the Sundays after Easter and Pentecost; […]

    2004, Thomas Fisch, editor, Primary Readings on the Eucharist, Liturgical Press, →ISBN, footnote, page 34

Origin

  1. New Latinēditiō prīnceps“first edition”
  2. Englisheditio princeps

From New Latin ēditiō prīnceps (“first edition”), 1800s.

More words from New Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch eerste druk
  • eerste drukfirst printed edition of a work previously only published as manuscript
Finnish ensipainos
  • ensipainosfirst printed edition of a work previously only published as manuscript
French édition originale
  • édition originalefirst printed edition of a work previously only published as manuscript
German Erstdruck
  • Erstdruckfirst printed edition of a work previously only published as manuscript
Greek πρώτη έκδοση
  • πρώτη έκδοση (próti ékdosi)first printed edition of a work previously only published as manuscript
Polish editio princeps, pierwodruk
  • editio princepsfirst printed edition of a work previously only published as manuscript
  • pierwodrukfirst printed edition of a work previously only published as manuscript
Cite this entry
APA

editio princeps. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/editio%20princeps

MLA

“editio princeps.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/editio%20princeps. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “editio princeps,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/editio%20princeps.

Source: editio princeps on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.