incunabula

in·cu·nab·u·la

[in-kyoo-nab-yuh-luh, ing-]
plural noun, singular in·cu·nab·u·lum [-luhm] .
1.
extant copies of books produced in the earliest stages (before 1501) of printing from movable type.
2.
the earliest stages or first traces of anything.

Origin:
1815–25; < Latin: straps holding a baby in a cradle, earliest home, birthplace, probably equivalent to *incūnā(re) to place in a cradle (in- in-2 + *-cūnāre, verbal derivative of cūnae cradle) + -bula, plural of -bulum suffix of instrument; def. 1 as translation of German Wiegendrucke

in·cu·nab·u·lar, adjective
post·in·cu·nab·u·la, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To incunabula
00:10
Incunabula is always a great word to know.
So is ort. Does it mean:
a scrap or morsel of food left at a meal.
a stew of meat, vegetables, potatoes, etc.
Collins
World English Dictionary
incunabula (ˌɪnkjʊˈnæbjʊlə) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
pl n , sing -lum
1.  any book printed before 1501
2.  the infancy or earliest stages of something; beginnings
 
[C19: from Latin, originally: swaddling clothes, hence beginnings, from in-² + cūnābula cradle]
 
incu'nabular
 
adj

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