'frontispiece' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'frontispicium', where 'frons/front-' meant 'forehead, front' and the element related to 'specere' or 'spicium' meant 'to look' or 'appearance'.

'frontispiece' changed through Italian 'frontespizio' and French 'frontispice' into Middle English 'frontispice', and eventually became the modern English word 'frontispiece'.

Initially, it referred to the front or facade (a building's face), but over time it evolved to refer primarily to the decorative illustration placed opposite a book's title page.