masthead

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Nautical The top of a mast.
2. n. The listing in a newspaper or periodical of information about its staff, operation, and circulation.
3. n. The title of a newspaper or periodical as it appears across the first page, front cover, or title page of each issue. Also called nameplate.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The top or head of the mast of a ship or vessel; technically, the top or head of the lower mast, but by extension the highest point of the mast. Thus, a sailor may be sent to the masthead (the top of the lower mast) as a lookout-man, or for punishment: to carry the colors at the masthead is to carry them at the highest point of the mast.
2. n. One who is stationed at the masthead: as, the sundown masthead.
3. To raise to the masthead; place or display at the masthead.
4. To punish, as a sailor, by sending to the masthead (the top of one of the lower masts) for a certain or an indefinite time.

Wiktionary

1. n. nautical The top of a mast.
2. n. US A list of a newspaper or other periodical's main staff, contributing writers, publisher, circulation, advertising rates etc.
3. n. UK The title (normally in a large and distinctive font) of a newspaper at the top of the front page
4. v. nautical, transitive To send to the masthead as a punishment.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. (Naut.) The top or head of a mast; the part of a mast above the hounds.
2. v. (Naut.) To cause to go to the masthead as a punishment.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a listing printed in all issues of a newspaper or magazine (usually on the editorial page) that gives the name of the publication and the names of the editorial staff, etc.
2. n. the title of a newspaper or magazine; usually printed on the front page and on the editorial page
3. n. the head or top of a mast