Compiled by Robert L. Maxwell
Special Collections and Ancient Languages Librarian
Harold B. Lee Library
Brigham Young University
Please send comments, suggestions, or additions to robert_maxwell@byu.edu.
Most recently updated: 27 May 1998.
aedes : shop, printing establishment (In aedibus Aldi, et Andreae soceri = [Printed] in the shop of Aldo [Manuzio] and of his father-in-law Andrea [Torresani])
angulus : corner (Ex officina Gulielmi Young, bibliopolae, no. 52 Secunda-Platea, angulo Castaneae-Plateae, M.DCC.XCIII = From the shop of William Young, bookseller, 52 Second Street, on the corner of Castanea Street, 1793)
annus : year (Apud Io. Heruagium, mense Martio anno 1537 = At the shop of Johann Herwagen, in the month of March, the year 1537; anno Domini 1550 = In the year of our Lord 1550, i.e., A.D. 1550 or 1550 C.E.)
apud : at the shop of (Apud Paulum Manutium = at the shop of Paulo Manuzio)
architypographia : head/main printing office/shop (Ex architypographia Plantiniana = From the main Plantin printing office)
bibliopola : bookseller (Ex officina Gulielmi Young, bibliopolae, no. 52 Secunda-Platea, angulo Castaneae-Plateae, M.DCC.XCIII = From the shop of William Young, bookseller, 52 Second Street, on the corner of Castanea Street, 1793)
castigator : proofreader (Elaboratum est hoc Germaniae opus typis Thomae Anshelmi castigatoreq[ue] authore ipso = This work was completed in Germany, with the type of Thomas Anshelmus, and with the author himself as proofreader)
castigatus : corrected, proofread (Impressum est & castigatum in aedibus Ascensianis = printed and proofread in the Ascensian shop)
collegit/conlegit : collected, compiled, often in the phrase collegit et edidit, “compiled and edited.”
cura : care (often means “edited by”) (Cura et sumptibus Societatis Literatae = By the care and expense of the Literary Society)
emissio : edition (tertia emissio = third edition; secundam & castigatiorem emissionem = second and more correct edition)
emissum : published (Expletum est hoc opusculum & ex officina emissum in Parisiorum academia = This little work was completed and published from the printshop in the Parisian academy)
exarare, exarata, exaratum, exarantur : to print, printed (lit. “ploughed up”) (Gallica lingua, & deinde Latina exarata = Printed in French, and then in Latin; Evangelia characteribus Syriacis exarata = The Gospels printed with Syriac type)
excudebat, excudebant, excudebatur, excudebantur, excusa, excusae, excusum : printed, was printed (Excudebat atque venebat Timotheus Green MDCCLI = Timothy Green printed and sold [this book] in 1751; Excudebatur Salmanticae in officina Andreae à Portonarijs = [This book] was printed in the shop of Andreas à Portonariis; Excusum Moguntiae = Printed at Mainz; Excusae Argentinae = Printed at Strasbourg)
excusor : printer (Apud Antonium Bladum Pontificis Maximi excusorem = In the office of Antonius Bladus, printer of the Pope)
filius : son (Ex Officina Plantiniana, apud viduam & filios Ioannis Moreti = From the Plantin printing establishment, in the shop of the widow and sons of Joannes Moretus; Sumptibus Matthei Rieger et filiorum = At the expense of Matthew Rieger and his sons)
frater : brother (Apud Balthasarem et Ioannem Moretos fratres = At the shop of Balthasar and Joannes Moretus, brothers)
haeredes, heredes : heirs (Typis Ioannis Saurii, impensis heredum Petri Fischeri, M.D.IC. = [Printed] with the type of Joannes Saur, at the expense of the heirs of Peter Fischer, 1599)
impensa : expense (Impensis Mathaei Carey = At the expense of Matthew Carey)
impressum est : was printed (Impressum est hoc opusculum per Ion. Antonium & fratres de Sabio = This little work was printed by Giovanni Antonio da Sabbio and his brothers)
imprimebat : printed (Imprimebat Johannes Steinman = Johannes Steinman printed [this book])
impressor : printer (timidi committere praelo non impressores audebant = the frightened printers did not dare to commit [the book] to the press)
insigne : sign (Apud Martinum Iuuenem, via S. Ioannis Laterranensis, ad insigne Serpentis = At the shop of Martin Le Jeune, Rue Sainct Jean de Latran, at the sign of the serpent; Apud Ioan. Bellerum, sub insigni Falconis = At the shop of Jean Beller, under the sign of the Falcon)
mensis : month (Apud Io. Heruagium, mense Martio anno 1537 = At the shop of Johann Herwagen, in the month of March, the year 1537)
officina : shop, printing establishment (Ex officina Gulielmi Young, bibliopolae, no. 52 Secunda-Platea, angulo Castaneae-Plateae, M.DCC.XCIII = From the shop of William Young, bookseller, 52 Second Street, on the corner of Castanea Street, 1793; In officina Sylvani Otmari = [Printed] in the shop of Silvan Otmar)
per : by/through (Typis Academicis, per Leopoldum Berger = [Printed] with the types belonging to the Academy, by Leopold Berger)
platea : street (Ex officina Gulielmi Young, bibliopolae, no. 52 Secunda-Platea, angulo Castaneae-Plateae, M.DCC.XCIII = From the shop of William Young, bookseller, 52 Second Street, on the corner of Castanea Street, 1793)
prostat (venalis), prostant (venales) : for sale (Prostat venalis apud T. Payne et filium = For sale at the shop of T. Payne and Son; Vaenales prostant ex officina Henr. Knox = For sale at the office of Henry Knox)
praelum, prelum, praelo, prelo : press (praelo Sheldoniano paratur = prepared at the Sheldonian press; timidi committere praelo non impressores audebant = the frightened printers did not dare to commit [the book] to the press)
recusa : printed (Recusa Augustae Vindelicorum = Printed at Augsburg)
reimpressa : reprinted (Reimpressa Pragae = reprinted at Prague)
scutum : shield (i.e., sign) (Apud Ioannem Petit-Pas, via Iacobaea, sub scuto Venetiarum = At the shop of Jean Petit-Pas, Rue St. Jacques, under the sign of the Venetians)
socius : associate, partner (Apud Ioannem Variscum & socios = In the shop of Giovanni Varisco and his partners)
signum : sign (Apud Michaëlem de Roigny, in via Iacobæa, sub signo Quatuor Elementorum = At the shop of Michel de Roigny, Rue St. Jacques, under the sign of the Four Elements)
successores : successors (Excudebant haeredes & successores Andreae Anderson = The heirs and successors of Andreas Anderson printed [this book])
sumptus : expense (Sumptibus H. Maynardi = [Published] at the expense of H. Maynard)
typographia, typographeus : printing office/shop (Ex Typographia Apostolica Vaticana = From the Apostolic Vatican Printing Office; E typographeo Clarendoniano = At the Clarendon Press)
typographus : printer (Excudebat Joan. Hayes, celeberrimae Academiae typographus = John Hayes, printer to the most famous Academy, printed [this book])
typus : type (E typis Thomae & Samuelis Green = [Printed] from the type of Thomas and Samuel Green)
venundatur, venundantur : sold (Venundatur Parisiis in vico divi Iacobi sub Lilio Aureo = Sold in Paris in the
Rue St. Jacques under the [sign of] the Golden Lily)via : street (Apud Martinum Iuuenem, via S. Ioannis Laterranensis, ad insigne Serpentis = At the shop of Martin Le Jeune, Rue Sainct Jean de Latran, at the sign of the serpent)
vidua : widow (Ex Officina Plantiniana, apud viduam & filios Ioannis Moreti = From the Plantin establishement, in the shop of the widow and sons of Joannes Moretus)
For additional information, see:
Allen, C.G. “Latin,” in A Manual of European Languages for Librarians. 2nd ed. London: Bowker-Saur, 1999: 155-179.