noun
- the opening words or first line of a text, especially a manuscript or literary work
Usage: formal; literary
Examples
- The incipit of Dante’s Divine Comedy is ‘Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita.’
- Medieval manuscripts often featured elaborate decorations around the incipit.
- Scholars use the incipit to identify and catalog ancient texts.
- The incipit ‘Once upon a time’ is familiar to readers of fairy tales.
- The library’s catalog lists manuscripts by their incipit rather than title.
- She memorized the incipit of her favorite poem.