Caxton

English

Etymology

From Middle English Caxton.

Proper noun

Caxton

1. A surname.
2. (printing) A kind of printing-type in imitation of William Caxton's.
3. A village and civil parish in South Cambridgeshire district, Cambridgeshire, England (OS grid ref TL3058).

Derived terms

• Caxtonian

Noun

Caxton (plural Caxtons)

1. Any book printed by William Caxton, the first English printer.
   • 1880, William Blades, The Enemies of Books, page 37:

     I recall vividly a bright summer morning, many years ago, when, in search of Caxtons, I entered the inner quadrangle of a certain wealthy College in one of our learned Universities.

   • 2011, Seymour De Ricci, English Collectors of Books and Manuscripts (1530-1930), page 43:

     This remarkable passion of the British nobility for editiones principes and Caxtons seems to have lasted but a couple of decades.

Middle English

Etymology

Possibly from Caxton, Cambridgeshire, from Old English Caustone (Domesday Book, 1086), from Cah (name of an Anglo-Saxon settler), Kakkr (Scandinavian personal name), or ker (“umbelliferous plants”) + tūn.

Proper noun

Caxton

1. a surname, equivalent to English Caxton
   • 1477, William Caxton, “Et sic est finis”, in The Dictes or Sayengis of the Philosophres, Westminster, London: William Caxton, folio 74, recto:

     Here endeth the book named the dictes or sayengis of the philosophres enprynted. by me william Caxton at westmestre the yere of our lord .M.CCCC.Lxx vij.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Descendants

• English: Caxton