editio princeps
/ɪˌdɪʃɪəʊ ˈprɪnsɛps
/noun (plural editiones principes /ɪˌdɪʃɪˌəʊniːz ˈprɪnsɪpiːz/)
The first printed edition of a book.The Establishment went on from six official volumes of editio princeps to some 26, that's because they were now under the pressure....
- The press was the first to print extensively in Greek, mostly editiones principes edited by scholars such as Marcus Musurus, Angelo Poliziano, Marsilio Ficino, and Aldus himself.
- George Wheler saw the block reused in a Turk's house located on the right side of the road on the way to Sikyon, ‘a little way out of the Town [Corinth]’; he copied the text in 1676 and published the editio princeps in 1682.
Origin
Latin, from editio(n-) 'edition' and princeps 'chief, leader' (from primus 'first').