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Glite Dictionary
bookplate

bookplate

1 7.8
A decorative label pasted inside a book to show the owner's name
  • noun
  • /ˈbʊkˌpleɪt/
translation icon : ex libris
  • And there are moments of joy when I see bookplates of former faculty who owned and donated the book and sometimes made notes on the side, Ota said.

Examples

  • He proudly affixed a personalized bookplate to each book in his collection to mark them as his own.

  • Now available are bookplates your club can use to recognize your book donations.

    Blog text (10)

  • Double L's appeared on a bowl, a stack of bookplates, and a small rug.

    Fiction book (1992)

  • Was there other stuff like bookmarks and bookplates to sign and give away?

    Blog text (14)

  • His bookplate bore his crest; he fashioned it himself.

    Fiction book (1993)

  • I'm happy to send you a free, personalized bookplate for the book—for your mother, or any gift recipients, or yourself—but May 8 isn't far away, so make your request soon!

    Blog text (15)

  • The artist designed a beautiful bookplate that showcased her intricate illustrations inside the front cover of her favorite novels.

  • Each member received a unique bookplate at the book club meeting to label their donated books.

Synonyms

label
vsbookplate
252 1.0

A piece of paper or cloth attached to an object that gives information about it

is a decorative item placed inside a book to indicate who owns it
ex libris
vsbookplate
  • Specialized
9.9

A small paper label with the owner's name or picture glued inside a book to show who owns it

is the common English term for this pasted ownership mark

How Personal

inscription
10 5.0
bookplate
1 7.8
pressmark
  • Archaic
9.7

Surface Forms

bookplate singular
bookplates plural

Morphology

bookplate = book + plate (semi-transparent) = book + plate

The word is clearly based on 'book' + 'plate', but the sense 'decorative owner's label' is somewhat specialized rather than fully predictable from the parts.

Etymology

Bookplate is simply a combination of book and plate, where plate originally meant a thin piece of metal or a 'label' placed on things. Think of a nameplate or a license plate—both are 'plates' that show a name—so a bookplate is a label pasted inside a book to show who owns it.