Definition

Noun: A page, typically the first printed page of a book, that contains only the book's title, without the author's name, publisher, or other details. It is often found before the full title page.

Usage

The half title serves as a simple introduction to the book. It is primarily a traditional publishing convention. - The half title is usually the very first page you see after the cover in a hardback book. - Modern paperbacks often omit the half title to save space and cost.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The elegant typography on the half title set the tone for the classic novel.
  • Before the table of contents, there is a page with just the words "Moby-Dick"; that is the half title.
  • Some collectors value books with an intact half title page.

Advanced Usage

• "Half-title page": A more formal term for the same concept.
  • The copyright information is printed on the verso (reverse side) of the half-title page.

Variants and Related Words

• Bastard title: An older, synonymous term for a half title.
• Title page: The subsequent page that contains the full title, author, publisher, and publication details.
• Front matter: The collective term for all the material (like half title, title page, preface) that comes before the main text of a book.

Synonyms

• Fly title
• Bastard title

Notes

• The half title is a bibliographic element with no direct idiomatic or phrasal verb usage, as it refers specifically to a physical part of a book.

Noun

1. a first page of some books displaying only the title of the book