Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. See bookplate.
Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- n. Literally, from the books (of): as, an ex libris exhibition (an exhibition of books from the books or library of certain collectors).
- n. A book-plate printed with the name of the owner, and usually his arms also; or, more rarely, a device or impresa the motto of which should have some reference to books or study.
Wiktionary
GNU Webster's 1913
- An inscription, label, or the like, in a book indicating its ownership; esp., a bookplate.
WordNet 3.0
- n. a label identifying the owner of a book in which it is pasted
Etymologies
- From Latin ex libris ("from books"). (Wiktionary)
- From Latin ex librīs, from the books : ex, from + librīs, ablative pl. of liber, book. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)
Examples
“Veritates ex libris St. Augustini de Trinitate", Lyons,1520.”
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘ex libris’.
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Quidquid Latine dictum sit, altum vid...
Anything said in Latin seems profound.
ex libris, quo signo nata es, carpe diem, da capo al fine, sic transit glori..., carper diem, e pluribus septum, magister mundi sum., me transmitte sur..., radix lecti, noli equi dentes ..., veni, vidi, velcro and 158 more...
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The Latin Doctor is Greek to me
Biology Students, Gladiators, Devil Dogs & Harry Potter
et tu, semper fidelis, carpe diem, cui bono, pons asinorum, limbus, e pluribus unum, sine qua non, quidnunc, lacus oblivionis, quincunx, experimentum crucis and 128 more...
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Distinguishing Marks
assay-mark, stamp, seal, cedula, cartouse, cachet, brand, mark, hallmark, armorial device, coat of arms, emblem and 150 more...
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Go to work on an egg
Words which - with a modicum of tolerance in pronunciation - sound like ways of cooking eggs.
exacerbate, exculpate, exclamatory, exhume, expansion, expeditious, explicit, expostulate, expunge, extortionate, extravaganza, exultant and 31 more...
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The Ex-acting Xray
Out of this world via the "X-express".
exorbitant, exuberant, extant, exultant, expectorate, exhilarate, excommunicate, exacting, extenuate, exculpate, extirpate, expostulate and 110 more...
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Rare Books
Words used in the rare book trade (of which I was once a part). For more about how such books are put together, see hernesheir's excellent The Bindery.
foxing, gilt, headband, bumped, endpaper, leaf, colophon, vellum, laid paper, boards, device, engraving and 168 more...
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Clearinghouse
For stuff to simply reside.
calcar, pinion, espadrille, antipodes, peregrine, cormorant, tanager, vireo, farrago, undervest, passerine, oscine and 881 more...
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A Dalliance of Dahlias
For more flower fun, see these lists:
Rose words by mollusque
Rose varieties by mollusque
Tulip Names I
Tulip Names II: You Know My Name
A Myriad of Iriia la mode, ace o' hearts, acclimation, adhesion, admirable, adorable you, advance, affirmed, after glow, agricola, alabama melody, alabaster queen and 1152 more...
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today's word
copemate, quiddity, ere, maugre, argal, cultivar, exurb, spokesmodel, rollick, logy, cadastral, corpulent and 259 more...
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latin is fun
ab ovo, ignis fatuus, cum laude, ad astra, anno domini, veni, vidi, vici, deus ex machina, cui bono, carpe diem, ad referendum, amicus humani gen..., aqua et igni inte... and 40 more...
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the library
vellum, watermark, dustjacket, chapbook, bookplate, edition, inscribed, signed, haiku, ode, limerick, sonnet and 70 more...
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Tasses's Words
ninja, whimsy, serendipity, zap, electrolux, onomatopoeia, violet, sprite, hula hoop, wonder, sliver, ex libris and 63 more...
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digitaltempest's Words
provocation, dour, verizon, objective, caveat, diaspora, naked, sploosh, queen, goddess, odalisque, dementia and 78 more...
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permacouture's Words
pony, hobbledehoy, mogwai, freezer, gitanes, shower, glasses, boludo, tequila, tucson, chilaquiles, raleigh and 85 more...
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Lissome Latin
apologia, sine qua non, prandial, desiderata, errata, dixi, viz, in flagrante delicto, ad nauseam, ad infinitum, aqua vitae, de profundus and 33 more...
Tweets
Looking for tweets for ex libris.

chained_bear Har! I love it! Mar 16, 2008
sionnach I changed my astrological sign. Mar 16, 2008
reesetee Also known as a bookplate: an ownership label, often decorative, usually pasted to the endpaper of a book. Feb 24, 2008