colophon
noun
col·o·phon
ˈkä-lə-fən 
-ˌfän
1
: an inscription at the end of a book or manuscript usually with facts about its production
2
: an identifying mark used by a printer or a publisher
Examples of colophon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Material features can also include things like colophons—formulas at the end of a text that attest to its completeness and fidelity and often also include the name of the copyist—doodles in the margins, mistakes and corrections, even handwriting style.
—
The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 22 Apr. 2025
First, researchers turned to an existing catalogue of Benedictine colophons, reviewing all 23,774 entries for linguistic confirmations of gender.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2025
The handscroll’s social dynamics were also reflected in the colophon, or end papers, where owners and visiting viewers would write clever commentary.
—WIRED, 19 Sep. 2023
The ongoing nature of the colophon rendered the artwork a continuous collaboration across time—sometimes centuries—rather than something that could be finished and put away.
—WIRED, 19 Sep. 2023
Like the colophon actually means like these are the people who made it.
—Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2020
The differences between the editions, which begin with the colophon, include extended or altered scenes and three distinct endings.
—James Yeh, New York Times, 3 May 2020
This is one reason, Melanie Holcomb, a curator in the Met’s department of medieval art explained, it is thought that the Bible dates from the early part of the 14th century, despite bearing a colophon dated A.D. 1366.
—Peter Libbey, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2017
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The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 22 Apr. 2025
First, researchers turned to an existing catalogue of Benedictine colophons, reviewing all 23,774 entries for linguistic confirmations of gender.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 Apr. 2025
The handscroll’s social dynamics were also reflected in the colophon, or end papers, where owners and visiting viewers would write clever commentary.
—WIRED, 19 Sep. 2023
The ongoing nature of the colophon rendered the artwork a continuous collaboration across time—sometimes centuries—rather than something that could be finished and put away.
—WIRED, 19 Sep. 2023
Like the colophon actually means like these are the people who made it.
—Lale Arikoglu, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Aug. 2020
The differences between the editions, which begin with the colophon, include extended or altered scenes and three distinct endings.
—James Yeh, New York Times, 3 May 2020
This is one reason, Melanie Holcomb, a curator in the Met’s department of medieval art explained, it is thought that the Bible dates from the early part of the 14th century, despite bearing a colophon dated A.D. 1366.
—Peter Libbey, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Colophon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colophon. Accessed 13 May. 2025.
Copy CitationGeographical Definition
Colophon
geographical name
Col·o·phon
ˈkä-lə-fən
-ˌfän
ancient city of western Asia Minor in Lydia
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