‖ incunabula, n. pl.
(ɪnkjuːˈnæbjʊlə)
[L. incūnābula (neut. pl.) swaddling-clothes, hence cradle, and fig. childhood, beginning, origin, f. cūnæ cradle.]
1. The earliest stages or first traces in the development of anything.
| 1824 De Quincey Falsif. Hist. Eng. Wks. 1890 IX. 300 Here they fancy that they can detect the incunabula of the revolutionary spirit. 1832 ― Charlemagne ibid. V. 361 Here, too, we behold in their incunabula..the existing kingdoms of Christendom. 1864 J. Martineau Ess., Rev. etc. (1891) II. 476 The Gospel is silent respecting the incunabula of the Master's life. |
2. (With sing. incunabulum): Books produced in the infancy of the art of printing; spec. those printed before 1500.
| 1861 Neale Notes Dalmatia etc. i. 9 What are Incunabula? you ask. It is the name that Germans give to books printed before 1500. 1866 Sat. Rev. 21 Sept. 305 The facsimile of a most interesting ‘incunabulum’. 1885 Even. Standard 11 Apr. 1/1 ‘Tall’ copies and ‘large paper’ copies, incunabula and Elzevirs. |
3. Ornith. The breeding-places of a species of bird.
Hence incuˈnabular a., of or pertaining to early printed books.
| 1889 Athenæum 15 June 752/1 Each paragraph..decorated with an imposing and quite incunabular ¶. |